Michael is in a serious motorcycle accident and loses consciousness for several hours. When he wakes up in the hospital emergency room, he doesn't remember being in the accident. In fact, he doesn't even remember the events that led up to the accident. Which one of the following alternatives is the most likely explanation for Michael's memory loss?
A) Visual encoding is typically a slow, effortful process.
B) Procedural knowledge is acquired more slowly than declarative knowledge.
C) Loud noises (e.g., screeching brakes) can essentially "erase" new information.
D) New information often needs time to consolidate in memory.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Michael's memory loss is likely due to the fact that new information (the events leading up to and including the accident) did not have enough time to consolidate in his memory before he lost consciousness.

Michael Is in a Serious Motorcycle Accident and Loses Consciousness