Question 1

According to decay theory, we forget memories because we don't use them.

Accepted Answer

Decay theory proposes that memories fade or decay over time if we do not use or access them, leading to forgetting.

Question 2

The essence of encoding failure is that certain kinds of information are so abstract or technical that it is impossible to encode the information for storage in long-term memory.

Accepted Answer

The essence of encoding failure is not that the information is too abstract or technical, but rather that it was never properly encoded or stored in long-term memory to begin with.

Question 3

"Mood congruence" refers to the finding that when people are in a depressed mood, they are more likely to recall happy memories.

Accepted Answer

Mood congruence refers to the phenomenon where individuals are more likely to recall memories that match their current emotional state. Therefore, when people are in a depressed mood, they are more likely to recall negative memories that match their mood.

Question 4

Much of what we learn is forgotten very quickly but eventually the rate of forgetting levels off.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The forgetting curve shows that we tend to forget information rapidly at first, but after a certain point, the rate of forgetting levels off and we retain the information more effectively.

Question 5

Research has consistently shown that, like photographs,flashbulb memories are unaffected by the passage of time.Thus, they tend to be highly accurate.

Accepted Answer

While flashbulb memories are vivid and emotionally charged recollections of significant events, research has actually shown that they can be subject to distortions and inaccuracies over time, much like any other type of memory.

Question 6

Unique, different, or unusual events are easier to retrieve from memory because they are characterized by a high degree of distinctiveness.

Accepted Answer

Unique, different, or unusual events stand out in memory because they are distinct from other experiences, making them easier to retrieve. This is known as the distinctiveness effect.

Question 7

A small number of people (about one out of six) are unusually prone to déjà vu experiences, averaging about one a month.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Approximately one out of six people experience déjà vu experiences more frequently, with an average of one occurrence per month.

Question 8

For the majority of people, déjà vu experiences involve the common memory processes of absentmindedness and retrievalcue failure.

Accepted Answer

Déjà vu is more commonly associated with a feeling of familiarity without a clear memory, rather than absentmindedness or retrieval cue failure.

Question 9

Déjà vu experiences are typically triggered by a visual scene,but can involve all of the senses.

Accepted Answer

Déjà vu experiences can be triggered by a visual scene, but they can also involve any sense, such as hearing, touch, taste, or smell.

Question 10

Amber walked in her front door and put her textbook in the kitchen instead of on her desk as she normally did. Ten minutes later she was unable to find her textbook.Absentmindedness is the most likely explanation for Amber's memory lapse.

Accepted Answer

Amber's failure to remember where she put her textbook is consistent with absentmindedness, which is a common cause of memory lapses.

Question 11

Although forgetting important information can create problems, not being able to forget anything would also create problems.

Accepted Answer

Forgetting helps us prioritize and retain only necessary information, while constant remembrance of all details can lead to overwhelming and confusing cognitive load. Additionally, forgetting helps us move on from negative experiences and emotions, while the inability to forget could result in perpetual distress.

Question 12

In his pioneering studies of forgetting, Ebbinghaus was the first researcher to demonstrate how the misinformation effect,source confusion, and imagination inflation all contribute to imperfect memories.

Accepted Answer

Ebbinghaus was known for his work on memory and forgetting, particularly the forgetting curve and the spacing effect, but not for the misinformation effect, source confusion, or imagination inflation.

Question 13

Neurological evidence suggests that at least some instances ofdéjà vu are related to brain dysfunction, and in particular,temporal lobe disruptions.

Accepted Answer

Neurological studies have shown a correlation between déjà vu experiences and disruptions in the temporal lobe, indicating that brain dysfunction may play a role in some cases of déjà vu.

Question 14

As a general rule, the longer people take to memorize new information, the longer they will retain the information.

Accepted Answer

The longer people spend on memorizing new information, the more time they have to transfer it from short-term memory to long-term memory, which leads to better retention of the information over time. This is known as the spacing effect.

Question 15

After years of research, neuroscientists have finally isolated the specific brain area called the parietal lobe that, when damaged, produces déjà vu experiences.

Accepted Answer

Currently, there is no specific brain area identified that solely produces déjà vu experiences when damaged. The exact cause of déjà vu is still unknown and is believed to involve multiple brain regions and processes.

Question 16

The experience of déjà vu is a sign of extrasensory perceptionor clairvoyance.

Accepted Answer

Déjà vu is a common experience where someone feels like they have already experienced a current situation, even if it's their first time being in that particular situation. It is a phenomenon related to memory and perception, not extrasensory perception or clairvoyance.

Question 17

Although research has plainly shown that so-called "flashbulbmemories" function in the same way as ordinary memories,people tend to be very confident that their flashbulb memories are highly accurate memories of the details of the particular event.

Accepted Answer

Research has indeed shown that flashbulb memories are subject to distortions and inaccuracies just like ordinary memories, but people tend to have high confidence in the accuracy of their flashbulb memories.

Question 18

For most people, déjà vu experiences probably involve the common memory processes of source amnesia and inattentional blindness.

Accepted Answer

Déjà vu is believed to occur when one feels that a situation is familiar, even though they have never experienced it before. Research suggests that this feeling arises from a failure of the brain to fully process a momentary perceptual experience, leading to a sense of familiarity. This failure is often associated with source amnesia, where one cannot remember the source of the information, and inattentional blindness, where one fails to pay attention to certain stimuli in their environment. Therefore, for most people, déjà vu experiences probably involve these common memory processes.

Question 19

Mood congruence is an encoding specificity phenomenon in which a given mood tends to evoke memories that are consistent with that mood.

Accepted Answer

Mood congruence is indeed an encoding specificity phenomenon in which a given mood tends to evoke memories that are consistent with that mood.

Question 20

When new information is learned, some information is rapidly forgotten relatively quickly. Information that is not forgotten tends to be retained in long-term memory for a long period oftime.

Accepted Answer

This is a well-established phenomenon known as the forgetting curve, where much of what is learned in the short-term quickly fades from memory, but what is retained tends to stay in long-term memory for a longer period of time.

Quiz 6: Memory