The hierarchical model of generic memory does not really explain how participants are able to respond to a sentence as false; for example, when asked if the statement "Salmon have fur" is true or false, ________.
A) participants slowly respond that this sentence is false; however, the model seems to predict that participants would need to consult only a portion of the hierarchy
B) some participants respond that this sentence is true because they are under the effect of various cognitive biases
C) participants quickly respond that this sentence is false; however, the model seems to predict that participants would need to consult the entire hierarchy
D) some participants respond that this sentence is false, based on incorrect information and seemingly "compensating" for their error

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The hierarchical model of generic memory suggests that information is organized in a hierarchical manner, which would imply that to verify a statement, one would need to traverse through various levels of this hierarchy. However, the fact that participants can quickly identify the statement "Salmon have fur" as false indicates that they do not need to consult the entire hierarchy to make this judgment, which contradicts the model's prediction.

The Hierarchical Model of Generic Memory Does Not Really Explain