Question 1

The disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information is called:

Accepted Answer

Proactive interference occurs when prior learning disrupts the recall of new information. Retroactive interference is the opposite, where new information disrupts the recall of old information. Encoding failure is when information is never stored in memory to begin with. Source amnesia is when a person remembers the information itself but forgets where or how they learned it.

Question 2

Knowledge of Latin can help people to learn French.This best illustrates:

Accepted Answer

Positive transfer refers to the phenomenon where previously learned information (such as knowledge of Latin) can facilitate the learning of new information (such as French). In this case, the knowledge of Latin can help with the learning of French vocabulary and grammar due to their similarities as romance languages.

Question 3

The tip-of-the-tongue forgetting experienced most often by older adults can best be explained in terms of the greater difficulty older people have with

Accepted Answer

Tip-of-the-tongue forgetting is an experience of knowing that a piece of information is stored in memory, but being unable to retrieve it. This suggests that the difficulty lies in the retrieval process, which is more challenging for older adults due to age-related decline in cognitive processing. Choice A (automatic processing) is not directly related to retrieval, and choices B (repression) and C (positive transfer) are not relevant to this phenomenon.

Question 4

We often modify our long-term memories in light of our current knowledge and expectations.This best illustrates the impact of:

Accepted Answer

The process of modifying our long-term memories in light of current knowledge and expectations is known as reconsolidation. Reconsolidation occurs when a long-term memory is retrieved and then updated with new information before being stored again. This can lead to changes in the original memory, and may even result in the creation of false memories.

Question 5

Jackie frequently experiences intrusive memories of an emotionally traumatic experience that she has been trying to forget.Her intrusive memories provide evidence of unsuccessful memory:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Jackie frequently experiences intrusive memories of an...

Question 6

After studying biology all afternoon,Alonzo is having difficulty remembering details of the organic chemistry material he memorized that morning.Alonzo's difficulty best illustrates:

Accepted Answer

Retroactive interference occurs when new learning disrupts the recall of previously learned information. In this case, Alonzo's study of biology (new learning) is interfering with his recall of organic chemistry (previously learned information).

Question 7

Learning a new online banking password may block the recall of a familiar old password.This illustrates:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Learning a new online banking password may...

Question 8

When Jake applied for a driver's license,he was embarrassed by a momentary inability to remember his address.Jake's memory difficulty most likely resulted from a(n)________ failure.

Accepted Answer

Retrieval refers to the process of accessing stored information from memory. Jake knew his address, but he had difficulty retrieving it at that moment. Therefore, his memory difficulty most likely resulted from a retrieval failure. Encoding refers to the process of getting information into memory in the first place, rehearsal refers to the process of repeating information to enhance its retention, and storage refers to the process of retaining information over time. None of these processes seem to be the cause of Jake's memory difficulty in this case.

Question 9

Research participants who were exposed to very convincing arguments about the desirability of frequent toothbrushing misrecalled how frequently they had brushed their teeth in the preceding two weeks.This best illustrates:

Accepted Answer

Motivated forgetting refers to memory failures that occur because of an individual's desire to forget or block out traumatic, disturbing, or otherwise unwanted memories. In this case, the individuals were convinced that frequent toothbrushing was desirable, which may have led to a desire to forget any instances where they did not brush their teeth as often as they believed they should have. This caused them to misremember how frequently they had actually brushed their teeth in the preceding two weeks.

Question 10

Philippe has just completed medical school.In reflecting on his years of formal education,he is able to recall the names of all his instructors except the fifth-grade teacher who flunked him.According to Freud,his forgetting illustrates:

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's theory of psychoanalysis, forgetting or repressing a memory occurs when something is too emotionally painful or traumatic to be consciously remembered. In this case, Philippe's inability to recall the name of his fifth-grade teacher who flunked him suggests that he may have repressed this memory due to its negative emotional impact. Therefore, the best choice is A) repression.

Question 11

Two people learned nonsense syllables and then tried to recall them after up to eight hours had elapsed.Jenkins and Dallenbach observed that forgetting occurred LEAST rapidly when the individuals spent their time:

Accepted Answer

Jenkins and Dallenbach found that forgetting occurred least rapidly when the individuals spent their time sleeping. This suggests that sleep plays a role in memory consolidation, allowing us to better retain information we have learned.

Question 12

Professor Maslova has so many memories of former students that she has difficulty remembering the names of new students.The professor's difficulty best illustrates:

Accepted Answer

Proactive interference occurs when previously learned information interferes with the ability to recall new information. In this case, the professor's memories of former students are interfering with her ability to remember the names of new students.

Question 13

Repression most clearly involves a failure in:

Accepted Answer

Repression is a defense mechanism that involves the unconscious blocking of certain memories, thoughts, or emotions that are too threatening or distressing to be consciously processed. Therefore, repression primarily involves a failure in retrieval, as the individual is unable to consciously access the repressed material.

Question 14

Who emphasized that we repress anxiety-arousing memories?

Accepted Answer

Sigmund Freud emphasized that individuals may repress anxiety-arousing memories into their unconscious mind, leading to psychological disorders such as hysteria.

Question 15

Retroactive interference refers to the:

Accepted Answer

Retroactive interference occurs when new learning disrupts the recall of previously learned information. This occurs when information that is learned later is similar to information learned earlier, making it difficult to distinguish between the two.

Question 16

Although Yusef was having difficulty recalling the capital of Spain,he quickly and correctly identified it after being given a list of cities in Spain.Yusef's initial inability to recall the answer was due to a failure in:

Accepted Answer

Yusef's initial inability to recall the capital of Spain indicates a failure in retrieval. However, he was able to identify it correctly upon being given a list of cities, suggesting that the information was properly encoded and stored in his long-term memory.

Question 17

A process in which previously stored memories,when retrieved,are altered before being stored again is called:

Accepted Answer

Reconsolidation is the process of retrieving a memory and then consolidating it again, during which it may be susceptible to alteration. Retroactive interference is the interference of new information with the ability to recall old information, while proactive interference is the interference of old information with the ability to learn new information. Repression is a defense mechanism in which painful or unacceptable memories are kept out of conscious awareness.

Question 18

When Loftus and Palmer asked observers of a filmed car accident how fast the vehicles were going when they "smashed" into each other,the observers developed memories of the accident that:

Accepted Answer

This is because the use of the word "smashed" in the question influenced the observers to remember the event as more serious than it actually was. This demonstrates the role of suggestive questioning in influencing memory.

Question 19

Ebbinghaus found the task of learning new lists of nonsense syllables increasingly difficult as his research career progressed.Which of the following best explains his problem?

Accepted Answer

Proactive interference occurs when previously learned information interferes with the ability to learn new information. In Ebbinghaus' case, the previously learned lists of nonsense syllables may have interfered with his ability to learn new lists, leading to an increasing difficulty in the task.

Question 20

It's evening and we're mentally replaying the day's events.We picture our facial expressions as we listened to a friend's tale of woe.Because we were unable to see these expressions at the time,our recall illustrates:

Accepted Answer

Memory construction refers to the way our memories are reconstructed and altered over time. In this scenario, we are mentally replaying the events of the day and creating a memory of our own facial expressions based on our recollection of the situation. This is an example of memory construction because our memory of our own facial expression is not a direct copy of what actually happened, but rather a reconstructed version based on our own interpretation and recollection.

Quiz 8: Memory