Question 1

Your friend says that she wants to develop a photographic memory. According to what you have read in this chapter, what is the best response you can make?

Accepted Answer

While some individuals may have exceptional memory abilities, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that true photographic memory exists. It is important to focus on developing effective memory strategies such as breaking down information into manageable chunks and using mnemonic devices.

Question 2

Joseph was very anxious when taking his GRE exam, although he was not anxious while studying for it. According to the idea of ______, he will not do well on the GRE exam.

Accepted Answer

Mood-dependent effects refer to the phenomenon where our memory retrieval is better when our emotional state during retrieval matches our emotional state during encoding. In this case, Joseph was not anxious while studying, but is anxious during the exam. This mismatch in emotional state may make it harder for him to retrieve the information he studied, resulting in poorer performance on the exam.

Question 3

Jodie insists on getting to class two hours before an exam so she has plenty of time to review her notes in the same classroom where she learned the information and will be taking the exam. She must believe in ______.

Accepted Answer

Jodie's insistence on reviewing her notes in the same classroom where she learned the information and will be taking the exam suggests that she believes in environmental context effects. This refers to the idea that the context in which information is learned can have a significant impact on how well it is remembered and retrieved later on, particularly in situations in which the learning and retrieval contexts are similar. By reviewing her notes in the same classroom where she learned the information, Jodie is trying to take advantage of this phenomenon to improve her performance on the exam.

Question 4

Both encoding and retrieval together influence memory performance in ______.

Accepted Answer

Transfer-appropriate processing theory suggests that memory performance is influenced by the similarity between the encoding and retrieval processes. Thus, both encoding and retrieval play a role in determining performance on memory tasks. Depth-of-processing effects refer to the idea that deeper processing leads to better memory performance, while environmental- and mood-dependent effects suggest that context or mood at encoding can influence retrieval success. However, neither of these theories specifically address the role of both encoding and retrieval in determining memory performance.

Question 5

According to research summarized by Roediger and Pyc, which of these questions should you ask yourself to ensure that you retain as much relevant information as possible before a test?

Accepted Answer

Asking "why" a certain answer is correct encourages deeper processing and understanding of the information, which leads to better retention and recall. The other options do not directly relate to retaining information.

Question 6

Your textbook describes the case of AJ, who claimed to be able to report what occurred in her life on any date past 1980. The researchers tested AJ and found that she had a superior ______.

Accepted Answer

The researchers found that AJ had a superior autobiographical memory, meaning that she was able to recall in detail events from her own life on any given date. This ability is distinct from general memory abilities, such as the recency effect or sensory cortex activation, and is thought to be related to increased activity in the frontal lobe.

Question 7

Jenna and Ellis give each other practice quizzes between studying and taking their exam. They are trying to take advantage of the ______ effect.

Accepted Answer

The testing effect refers to the fact that retrieving information from memory (such as by taking practice quizzes) enhances learning and retention, making it a valuable study strategy. The primacy effect refers to better recall of items at the beginning of a list, while the recency effect refers to better recall of items at the end of a list. The serial position effect encompasses both of these effects, as well as the tendency for items in the middle of a list to be less well-remembered. While studying the material in the first place may improve memory, taking practice quizzes provides a more active and effective form of learning.

Question 8

According to Roediger and Pyc, before you take a test, it is helpful to spend time doing what?

Accepted Answer

Identifying which information you have trouble recalling can help you focus your last-minute studying on those specific areas and potentially improve your performance on the test.

Question 9

The primacy effect depends on ______ as the recency effect depends on ______.

Accepted Answer

The primacy effect depends on long-term memory because it involves recalling information that was learned and stored first. The recency effect, on the other hand, depends on short-term memory because it involves recalling information that was most recently presented. Therefore, choices A, B, and C are incorrect.

Question 10

For thousands of years, humans have used memory techniques called ______ to help them remember information.

Accepted Answer

Mnemonics are memory techniques used to remember information. The other options (retrieval effects, serial position curves, memory languages) are related to memory processes and phenomena, but do not specifically refer to memory techniques used by humans.

Question 11

Study is to ______ as tests are to ______.

Accepted Answer

Study is the process of encoding information into memory, whereas tests require the retrieval of information previously encoded in memory. Therefore, encoding is to study as retrieval is to tests.

Question 12

After you have memorized a list of words, you are most likely to demonstrate ______ if you are tested on the list immediately.

Accepted Answer

The recency effect occurs when the last items on a list are more easily remembered because they are still in short-term memory. This effect is strongest when tested immediately after memorizing the list. A) Fading of memory is less likely to occur immediately after memorization. B) The primacy effect refers to better recall of the first items on a list and is more likely to be seen when there is a delay before testing. D) Strongest recall for the middle of the list is not a commonly observed pattern.

Question 13

Your textbook describes how memory champions devise a(n) ______ to help them remember and navigate through a great deal of information.

Accepted Answer

The description matches the technique of the "memory palace" or "method of loci," which involves using a mental map of a familiar location to mentally place and organize information for easy recall. The other options do not match this description.

Question 14

Matching the circumstances of encoding and retrieval aids memory. This phenomenon is known as the ______.

Accepted Answer

The encoding specificity principle is the idea that memory is best when information available at encoding is also available at retrieval. Matching the circumstances of encoding and retrieval aids memory by activating the same neural pathways that were activated during encoding. The primacy and recency effects are related to the order in which information is presented and remembered, while the environmental context principle states that memory is better when the context of encoding matches the context of retrieval.

Question 15

After you have memorized a list of words, you are most likely to demonstrate ______ if you are tested on the list the next day.

Accepted Answer

The primacy effect refers to the tendency to remember items at the beginning of a list better than those in the middle or at the end. Therefore, if tested on the list the next day, you are most likely to demonstrate recall of the first few words, indicating the primacy effect.

Question 16

In order to study brain areas associated with memory, Ramon devises a song that involves memories from his own life. This is an example of ______.

Accepted Answer

Ramon devising a song to associate memories from his own life is an example of a mnemonic, which is a memory aid that helps in recalling information.

Question 17

Which of these plans of action is most likely to help you retrieve information from your long-term memory before you take a test?

Accepted Answer

Practice retrieving the information from long-term memory increases the likelihood of being able to recall it during the test. The other options do not focus on retrieval practice or improving memory recall.

Question 18

Your memories of everything you did yesterday are evidence of ______.

Accepted Answer

Autobiographical memory is the ability to remember events and experiences from one's own life. Memories of what one did yesterday fall under this category. The recency effect refers to the phenomenon where people tend to remember items at the end of a list more easily. Biographical memory refers to long-term memory of one's personal and factual information. Mood-dependent learning is a phenomenon where memory retrieval is enhanced when the individual is in the same emotional state as they were when the memory was encoded.

Question 19

The idea that the human mind tends to notice unusual things is known as the ______ effect.

Accepted Answer

The idea that the human mind tends to notice unusual things is known as the "bizarreness effect."

Question 20

While studying for the exam that determines whether you will get into law school, you decide to take a practice exam that matches the format of the official exam. This is an example of ______.

Accepted Answer

Taking a practice exam that matches the format of the official exam is an example of transfer-appropriate processing, which is the concept that performance on a task is improved when the processing done during practice matches the processing required during the actual task.

Quiz 6: Long-Term Memory: Influences on Retrieval