Deck 7: Basic Components of Memory

Question 1

A classroom of talkative students immediately quiets down and pays attention when the teacher yells, "Listen to me!" quite loudly. The students' sudden attentiveness to the teacher demonstrates the effect of _______ on attention.

A) stimulus intensity
B) personal relevance
C) proximity
D) working memory

Answer 1

A

Question 2

When memory theorists talk about control processes, they are talking about:

A) Observable behaviors
B) How the environment structures people's opportunities to learn new things
C) The methods that teachers use to facilitate a learner's memory for information
D) Cognitive processes that affect storage and retrieval of information
E)g., walking to a new location) that affect what information in the environment is encountered

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Each of the women below is engaging in two activities simultaneously. Considering contemporary views of attention, identify the woman who should have the greatest difficulty doing both things at once.

A) Amelia is thinking about what to cook for dinner while she combs her hair.
B) Brenda is watching the evening news on television while she studies for an exam.
C) As Camille walks down the street, she calls a friend on her cell phone to express anger about his inconsiderate behavior earlier in the day.
D) As she jogs around the track at the health club, Donna is trying to decide where to go on her vacation next month.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

When a stray dog wanders into a classroom, all of the students stop their seatwork and watch the teacher try to coax the dog from the room. The students' attentiveness demonstrates the effect of _______ on attention.

A) novelty
B) proximity
C) size
D) personal significance

Question 5

William is trying to remember his new nine-digit social security number, and he does so by thinking of it as three groups of three digits each. William is demonstrating:

A) The use of chunking
B) Storage in the sensory register
C) Retrieval from working memory
D) The use of maintenance rehearsal

Question 6

Which one of the following is the best example of encoding in the process of learning state capitals?

A) Abe learns Austin, Texas by making sure he is relaxed before he studies it.
B) Bernice focuses her eyes on the page that says "St. Paul, Minnesota" and keeps them focused there for at least 10 seconds.
C) Corey learns Atlanta, Georgia by thinking, "The Atlantic Ocean is gorgeous."
D) Darcy learns Sacramento, California by having a tape recorder play "Sacramento, California" over and over while she sleeps.

Question 7

Which one of the following best reflects the use of the sensory register component of memory?

A) You can remember a melody for several hours even though you don't remember the lyrics.
B) You can remember something you heard for a second or two even though you weren't initially paying attention to it.
C) You can remember the name of a person just long enough to introduce her to someone else.
D) You can remember the concept of reinforcement because you are able to relate it to your own experiences.

Question 8

Which one of the following examples best illustrates involvement of a central executive in the human memory system?

A) Adam absentmindedly cracks his knuckles every minute or two.
B) Brigette works hard to keep her mind on her textbook as she reads.
C) As she sits in a science lecture, Claudia's thoughts continually drift to other topics.
D) David is frightened the first time he hears the loud noises at a fireworks display.

Question 9

During a lecture on World War II, Mr. Cochran tells his class about some of the major leaders of the countries involved in the war. He then asks Kathy to identify the leader of Great Britain during World War II, and she correctly responds, "Winston Churchill." At the time she answers the question, Kathy is exhibiting:

A) storage
B) retrieval
C) elaboration
D) proactive facilitation

Question 10

Which one of the following best illustrates the "working" aspect of working memory?

A) Efficiently using a pair of scissors
B) Confusing two people's names
C) Alphabetizing five names as you hold them in memory
D) Unconsciously adjusting your grip on a tennis racket in anticipation of executing a backhand swing

Question 11

Based on the textbook's discussion, you might best think of attention as being a process of:

A) Turning one's sensory receptors in the direction of desired information
B) Making stronger responses to bright or loud stimuli
C) Focusing one's cognitive processes on certain stimuli in the environment
D) Filtering out unwanted information, in much the same way that an oil filter removes unwanted particles

Question 12

When psychologists refer to a dual-store model of memory, they are referring to a model in which:

A) A distinction is made between working and long-term memory
B) Functions rather than structures of memory are emphasized
C) Information must be processed more than once before it will be stored
D) A distinction is made between two different levels of processing

Question 13

Which of the following children best illustrate the use of effortful control.

A) John loves dogs and can read books about dogs for hours.
B) Kate does not like to read and when her mother asks her to read, she watches her favorite TV show instead.
C) Beth does not like to read, but knows it is important, so she solely attends to reading for twenty minutes a day.
D) Natalie loves to read about dogs, but when she is assigned reading about cats, she takes her dog for a walk instead of completing the reading assignment.

Question 14

Which one of the following most clearly illustrates the Gestalt principle of figure-ground?

A) Aaron is watching the teacher's face so intently that he doesn't notice what she is writing on the chalkboard.
B) Bart has difficulty seeing the difference between the letters b and d because the two letters are so similar in appearance.
C) Caryn is lost in her thoughts.
D) Darlene has difficulty judging the size of objects more than six meters away from her.

Question 15

Which one of the following statements best characterizes the duration of the sensory register?

A) Information can last indefinitely in the sensory register if the visual or auditory image is occasionally retrieved.
B) Meaningless information fades quickly, but meaningful information may remain for hours.
C) Most visual information lasts less than a second, with auditory information lasting slightly longer.
D) Information remains for about ten seconds regardless of its nature.

Question 16

Learning theorists often emphasize the importance of attention in the learning process? From the perspective of the dual-store model of memory, why is attention so important?

A) It gets information into the sensory register.
B) It moves information from working memory into long-term memory.
C) It moves information from the sensory register into long-term memory.
D) It moves information from the sensory register into working memory.

Question 17

Marnie attends very closely to the English teacher's lecture because she knows she must pass her English course in order to graduate. Marnie's attentiveness demonstrates the effect of _______ on attention.

A) stimulus intensity
B) personal significance
C) emotion
D) incongruity

Question 18

Which one of the following is an accurate statement about the dual-store model of memory?

A) All information that reaches the sensory register also reaches short-term memory, but only a small percentage of this information is stored in long-term memory.
B) Information that must be remembered for a long time goes directly from the sensory register to long-term memory; less important information is stored in short-term memory.
C) All information that enters long-term memory must first pass through the sensory register and short-term memory.
D) The three components of memory are used to store different kinds of information: visual images are stored in the sensory register, most numerical information is stored in short-term memory, and verbal information is stored in long-term memory.

Question 19

Look at this word: KITE
Without turning the page, try to imagine how the word would look if it were rotated 180º. To perform this task successfully, you would need to make considerable use of that part of your working memory known as the:

A) visuospatial sketchpad
B) reticular formation
C) phonological loop
D) sensory register

Question 20

Considering current views regarding the capacity of working memory, which one of the following sets of information could be held entirely in working memory?

A) The names of 20 friends
B) The visual images of 20 friends
C) Two pages of narrative from a mystery novel
D) A list of five miscellaneous household objects

Question 21

The textbook recommends a number of ways in which to increase students' attention in class. Which one of the following is not recommended?

A) Ask questions frequently.
B) Vary the method of presentation.
C) Place easily distractible students near the teacher.
D) Have several different activities going on simultaneously.

Question 22

If you know how to wrap a present, you can probably describe the process to someone else. But if you know how to skip rope, you may have difficulty explaining what you do to someone else. The difference between these two kinds of knowledge can best be characterized as a difference between:

A) explicit vs. implicit memory
B) declarative vs. procedural knowledge
C) things learned through deep vs. shallow processing
D) things learned through the visuospatial sketchpad vs. through the phonological loop

Question 23

You know what a computer is, and you also know how to send an email message using a computer. The difference between these two kinds of knowledge can best be characterized as a difference between:

A) explicit vs. implicit memory
B) declarative vs. procedural knowledge
C) things learned through deep vs. shallow processing
D) things learned through the visuospatial sketchpad vs. through the phonological loop

Question 24

In each of the three situations below, information enters a student's memory system. For each situation, use the dual-store model of memory to: 1) identify the last component of memory in which the event has been stored, and 2) explain how you arrived at your conclusion.
a. Thursday night, Jennifer studies for a test on Friday morning. She remembers the material quite accurately on Tuesday and gets an A on the test. When she takes a review test two months later, however, she can no longer remember that same material.
b. Justin is trying to learn information in his textbook. His eyes are focused on the words in front of him, but he is thinking about the fishing trip he has planned for the weekend.
c. After her French teacher says, "Merci beaucoup," Josephine repeats the phrase, then she immediately turns to talk to her friend.

Question 25

Distinguish among the sensory register, working memory, and long-term memory in terms of the following:
a. Capacity
b. Duration
c. The forms) in which information tends to be stored
Describe relevant research to support your statements.

Question 26

Peter and Paul are both listening to the same lecture. Peter is trying to learn the information being presented so that he can remember it later on. Paul is listening closely but not necessarily trying to remember it. From a levels-of-processing perspective, we would predict that:

A) Peter is engaging in incidental learning, so will probably remember more.
B) Paul is likely to process the information at a deeper level, so will probably remember more.
C) Both boys will remember the same amount if they process the information in the same way.
D) Both boys will remember the same amount if they are equally alert.

Question 27

Which one of the following kinds of knowledge is least likely to be dependent on active, conscious processing to be learned? Base your choice on research findings presented in the textbook.

A) Knowing that Los Angeles is approximately 3,000 miles from New York.
B) Knowing how to start a fire using crumpled newspaper and small twigs.
C) Knowing that football, lighthouse, and airport are all compound words.
D) Knowing that the word cat appears in speech more often than feline.

Question 28

Three of the following teachers are practicing principles from contemporary memory theory. Which teacher is not?

A) Mr. Adamson tells his students that, with practice, they will be able to do complicated long division problems in their heads.
B) Ms. Borelli tells her students that they should not try to remember every detail in their 100-page reading assignment, but instead should focus on main ideas.
C) Mr. Canton makes sure that students are paying attention before he begins an explanation of photosynthesis.
D) Ms. Darwin talks about how famous battles in history are in some ways similar to the fights students sometimes have on the playground.

Question 29

To prepare for his test on Tuesday morning, Harvey studied on Monday night. He remembered the information long enough to do well on the test on Tuesday but could not remember it for a surprise quiz a week later. Based on this information, how far in Harvey's memory system did the information get?

A) It reached the sensory register.
B) It reached working memory.
C) It reached long-term memory.
D) It never got into the memory system at all.

Question 30

Only one of the following teachers is applying contemporary memory theory. Which one?

A) Ms. Alphonso suggests that students in her Russian class listen to Russian tapes while they sleep.
B) Mr. Bancroft helps students identify important ideas in their textbooks.
C) Ms. Cranston asks her students to memorize definitions of 15 geometric figures.
D) Mr. Dominowski suggests that his students put information for tomorrow's test in their short-term memories.
Essay Questions

Question 31

Mr. Wagner stands in front of the class explaining the process of evolution. Ellen is sitting in the front row, but her mind is on the fight she had with her best friend just before class. Based on this information, how far in Ellen's memory system did Mr. Wagner's lecture get?

A) It reached the sensory register.
B) It reached working memory.
C) It reached long-term memory.
D) It never got into the memory system at all.

Question 32

Each of the following teachers is reviewing materials their students will need to know for the upcoming final exam. Three of the following teachers are reviewing in a way that is sensitive to their students cognitive load capacity? Which teacher is not?

A) Mr. Andrews puts all of the information students will need to know for the exam on the board and instructs the students to copy it into notes.
B) Mr. Brown presents the information separated into sections. He completes one section before moving on to the next.
C) Mr. Carey presents the information slowly and includes many examples and illustrations.
D) Mr. Daniels stops and repeats difficult concepts and often re-words confusing information.

Question 33

Several sources of evidence have been used to address the question of whether working memory and long-term memory are separate entities. Which one of the following is not a source of evidence that has been used for this purpose?

A) The serial learning curve
B) The behaviors of people who have sustained brain injuries
C) The form in which information is stored in different memory tasks
D) People's descriptions of how they remember information

Question 34

John learned the capitals of all 50 US states when he was a child. As an adult, he can no longer recall or recognize any of the 50 state capitals. However, he relearned the capitals faster than Jenny who did not learn the state capitals as a child. John's relearning suggests that the information regarding the state capitals remained in his ________________ from the time he first learned them as a child.

A) sensory register
B) working memory
C) long-term memory
D) sensory register and working memory

Question 35

Which one of the following scenarios reflects the typical duration of working short-term) memory?
A) Arnie's family spends a summer at his grandmother's house and is able to remember his grandmother's telephone number for the two months he is there. However, he quickly forgets the number after he moves back home again.

A)m., Darrell makes a mental list of the five items he needs to purchase at the grocery store at the end of the day. At noon, he checks himself and realizes that he still remembers all five. At 3:00 p.m., however, he discovers that he has forgotten three of the five items.
B) Barney looks up the correct spelling of the word fossil and closes the dictionary. By the time he finds a piece of paper on which to write the word, he has forgotten how to spell it.
C) Carol remembers most of the information that she has been learning about World War II in class this week, but she remembers very little of what she learned about World War I two weeks ago.
D) At 9:00

Question 36

Which one of the following statements best describes an activation model of memory?

A) Information is more effectively encoded when it is acted out for example, through role playing) at the time of storage.
B) What you are thinking about is activated; other things stored in your memory are in an inactive state.
C) You must repeat information several times if it is to be stored effectively.
D) Different pieces of information in memory interact with one another, so that you often remember something differently from how which you first stored it.

Question 37

Susan is introduced to Jerry. She immediately smiles and says, "Hello, Jerry." A minute later, she wants to introduce Jerry to her friend Mary, but she cannot remember his name. Based on this information, how far in Susan's memory system did Jerry's name get?

A) It reached the sensory register.
B) It reached working memory.
C) It reached long-term memory.
D) It never got into the memory system at all.

Question 38

Which one of the following pairs illustrates two different levels of processing?

A) Deciding whether bear rhymes with chair; deciding whether bear rhymes with deer.
B) Deciding whether bear rhymes with chair; deciding whether actual rhymes with natural.
C) Deciding whether bear rhymes with chair; thinking about how a bear and a dog are similar.
D) Thinking about how a bear and a dog are similar; thinking about how a chair and a table are similar.

Question 39

Eunice has had trouble remembering the formula for calculating the area of a circle, so she is saying it to herself over and over again as her teacher passes out a geometry test. Eunice is demonstrating:

A) Storage in the sensory register
B) Retrieval from working memory
C) The use of maintenance rehearsal
D) The use of chunking

Question 40

Three of the following statements are accurate descriptions of long-term memory. Which one is not necessarily accurate?

A) Information can last for a lengthy period of time, although not necessarily forever.
B) Retrieval of information from long-term memory is sometimes difficult.
C) Much of the information stored there is stored in terms of general meanings.
D) The more information it contains, the less room it has for new material.

Question 41

Describe what psychologists mean when they say that attention and working memory have a limited capacity. Discuss at least two implications of this limited capacity for learning in the classroom.

Question 42

You are giving a lecture on a topic you know will be difficult for your students to understand and remember. Describe the steps you should take to maximize the probability that:
a. Your students will store the information in their working memories.
b. The information won't exceed the limits of students' working memory capacities.
c. Your students will, from the perspective of a levels-of-processing perspective, process the information in a "deep" fashion.

Question 43

The textbook identifies eight characteristics of a situation that tend to draw one's attention. Describe five of these characteristics. For each one, give an example to illustrate its effect.

Question 44

Contemporary memory theorists disagree about whether working memory and long-term memory are distinctly different entities. Describe two sources of evidence that support a dual-store model of memory and two sources of evidence that support a single-store model.