Question 1

A researcher hypothesizes that high doses of caffeine can produce context-dependent learning. To confirm this hypothesis, the researcher would need to show that

Accepted Answer

The hypothesis predicts that high doses of caffeine can produce context-dependent learning, which means that the learning and recall of information are dependent on the context in which the material was learned. Therefore, the researcher would need to show that participants who learn the material while drinking a great deal of coffee will remember the material better if they drink a great deal of coffee while taking the memory test. This would demonstrate that the context of the learning (drinking coffee) is affecting their memory recall.

Question 2

Evidence for context-dependent learning has been found in all of the following situations EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The situation of a class lecture in a very cold or hot room is not mentioned in the options where evidence of context-dependent learning has been found. All the other options mention situations where the environment or context plays a role in learning and memory.

Question 3

Which of the following statements seems to be the best illustration of encoding specificity?

Accepted Answer

Encoding specificity principle suggests that memory is most effective when information available at encoding is also present at retrieval. Option B illustrates this principle by showing that Susan can learn principles in class but struggles to remember them outside of that context, indicating the importance of context in memory retrieval.

Question 4

Participants are asked to memorize a list of words. In addition to the words themselves, participants will remember some aspects of the context in which the words appeared. This tendency to remember a stimulus within its context is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Encoding specificity refers to the idea that memory is typically best when the conditions at retrieval match the conditions present at encoding. In this case, the context in which the words appeared serves as a cue for memory, making it easier to recall the words themselves. The other options (background learning, multiple encoding, implicit memory) do not specifically refer to this idea of encoding and context cues.

Question 5

Two groups of participants were asked to learn a series of word pairs and were then given a memory test. Both groups were told to remember the second word in each pair and use the first word as an aid to remember the targets. For Group A, the first word was semantically associated with the target word (e.g., dark-light). For Group B, the first word rhymed with the target word (e.g., sight-light). Each group was given hints during the memory test. These hints could be related to meaning (e.g., "Was there a word associated with 'dark'?") or sound (e.g., "Was there a word associated with 'sight'?"). Which of the following statements is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

According to the passage, participants in Group B performed better when given a sound hint than when given a meaning hint. Therefore, statement D is false. Statements A and B are true based on the information given in the passage, and statement C is also likely true based on the same information.

Question 6

What is the level at which a node in a spreading activation model will fire?

Accepted Answer

The response threshold is the level at which a node in a spreading activation model will fire, meaning it will activate and send signals to other nodes in the network. This is the minimum level of activation that a node must reach in order to "fire" and spread activation throughout the network. The other options are not relevant to the concept of response threshold in spreading activation models.

Question 7

A participant is asked to memorize a series of word pairs, including the pair "heavy-light." The participant is asked later if any of the following words had been included in the list memorized earlier: "lamp," "candle," "spark," and "light." The participant denies having seen any of these words recently. This is probably because

Accepted Answer

The participant memorized "heavy-light" as a word pair, not "heavy-light" as a description of weight and illumination. Therefore, when asked about the word "light" later, the participant did not associate it with illumination and did not recognize it as a word from the learned list.

Question 8

Which of the following observations is most likely an illustration of context-dependent learning?

Accepted Answer

Context-dependent learning refers to the phenomenon where recall of information is enhanced when it occurs in the same context or setting in which it was originally learned or encoded. In option C, the individual seeing people from their past at their high school reunion is likely to have triggered memories of their shared experiences because the context was similar to when those experiences originally occurred.

Question 9

Steve is shown a list of words, which includes "baby." He is then asked to list all the words he can remember from the list, but he does not include "baby." Steve is later asked to identify words and nonwords, and "baby" is presented along with other items. Which of the following patterns is most likely to reflect Steve's performance on this identification task?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Steve is shown a list of words,...

Question 10

A participant is asked, "In the list of words I showed you earlier, was there a word that rhymed with 'lake'?" The participant is likely to be well prepared for this sort of memory test if he or she

Accepted Answer

Rhyming is based on sound, so paying attention to the sounds of the words when trying to memorize them would be the most effective strategy for remembering whether or not a word rhymed with "lake." Using maintenance rehearsal (A) or relying on perceptual fluency (D) may help with remembering the words themselves, but may not be as effective for remembering specific details such as rhyming. Paying attention to the appearance of the words (C) would not be relevant for remembering whether or not a word rhymes with "lake."

Question 11

Establishing a memory connection

Accepted Answer

Establishing a memory connection allows the access of one memory from another if they are connected. It does not necessarily prime all memory connections or only occur for emotional memories. It is also not necessarily better for emotional memories than other types of memories.

Question 12

If a memory is like a city you want to travel to and the retrieval paths you use to find the memory are like highways that lead to that city, which is the best strategy for memorizing?

Accepted Answer

Building many highways that travel in many directions creates multiple retrieval paths that can lead to the memory, increasing the chances of successful recall later.

Question 13

In an experiment, participants learned materials in Room A and were tested in Room B. If they were asked to think about Room A just before taking the test, participants

Accepted Answer

The answer of In an experiment, participants learned materials in...

Question 14

Theories of spreading activation assume that activating one node will lead to

Accepted Answer

The answer of Theories of spreading activation assume that activating...

Question 15

Because of the effects of context-dependent learning, students might find it wise to

Accepted Answer

Context-dependent learning suggests that one's environment and conditions during learning can affect their ability to recall information later. Therefore, it is wise for students to prepare for their examinations under conditions similar to the test conditions to enhance their memory recall during the actual test. Choices A, B, and C may also be helpful study strategies but are not directly related to context-dependent learning.

Question 16

Spreading activation models behave much like which biological system?

Accepted Answer

Spreading activation models mimic the behavior of neural networks, which are biological systems composed of interconnected neurons that process and transmit information.

Question 17

"Context reinstatement" refers to

Accepted Answer

Context reinstatement is the process of trying to re-create the context in which information was learned to improve memory performance. Studies have shown that memory is improved when participants recall information in the same setting or context in which it was learned.

Question 18

Context has an effect on memory

Accepted Answer

Context influences how an individual perceives the material to be remembered, such as how relevant the information is to the current situation. This can affect the encoding process, making it easier or harder for the individual to recall the information later on. Additionally, context can also serve as a retrieval cue that helps individuals retrieve memories that are associated with specific environments or situations. However, context does not necessarily have to be the same as the environment where the information was learned; rather, it can be any factor that was present during encoding and is also present during retrieval.

Question 19

Participants are asked to memorize a list of words. The eighth word on the list is "inches," the ninth word is "meters," and the tenth word is "feet." In which of the following situations would the participants be most likely to remember the previous exposure to "feet"?

Accepted Answer

Participants are more likely to remember a word when it is presented in a group of related words or concepts, known as a semantic network. In this case, "inches," "meters," and "feet" are all units of measurement, so if "feet" is followed by "yards" (another unit of measurement), it is more likely to activate the semantic network and increase the chance that participants will remember "feet." The options B, C, and D do not contain any related words or concepts that would activate the semantic network for "feet," making A the best choice.

Question 20

When you are trying to access something in long-term memory, you use a

Accepted Answer

When trying to access something in long-term memory, you use a retrieval path, which is a specific pathway or cue that allows you to retrieve the information more easily. This is not a parallel search, as you are not searching multiple pathways at once. It is also not a random search strategy, as you are using a specific pathway. It can be a serial, exhaustive search if you are trying to recall information without any specific cues or pathways. However, using a retrieval path is the most efficient way to access information in long-term memory.

Quiz 7: Interconnections Between Acquisition and Retrieval