PSY 200 CORE MAIN EXAMINATION SET
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔What is echoic memory? - ✔✔a momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if
attention is elsewhere, sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds
✔✔Describe the experiment by Sperling (1960) and how it showed sensory memory
exists - ✔✔Iconic memory test: When a grid of letters is flashed on screen for only
1/20th of a second, it is difficult to recall individual letters. But if prompted to remember
a particular row immediately after the grid is shown, research participants will do so with
high accuracy.
Sperling used this procedure to demonstrate that although iconic memory stores the
whole grid, the information fades away too quickly for a person to recall everything
✔✔How long does sensory memory last? - ✔✔1/5 to 1/2 of a second
✔✔What is short term memory? - ✔✔a memory storage system that briefly holds a
limited amount of information in awareness
✔✔How long can information stay in short term memory? - ✔✔Between 15 & 30secs
,✔✔What is rehearsal? - ✔✔the process of keeping information in short-term memory by
mentally repeating it
✔✔What is the capacity of short term memory? - ✔✔+/- 7 items
✔✔What is chunking? - ✔✔organizing items into familiar, manageable units; often
occurs automatically such as a phone number
instead of seeing 1235557890, we'd organize it as 123-555-7890
✔✔What is working memory & how does it show the active nature of this type of
memory? - ✔✔What you're thinking of in that exact moment (short term memory)
Your mind is constantly thinking of different things so your short term memory is
constantly changing with what it was focusing on.
✔✔What is long-term memory? - ✔✔the relatively permanent and limitless storehouse
of the memory system
✔✔What is capacity? - ✔✔The amount of information that can be held in a memory
store
✔✔What is anterograde amnesia? - ✔✔inability to form new memories
✔✔What is retrograde amnesia? - ✔✔Inability to remember events that occurred before
the incidence of trauma or the onset of the disease that caused the amnesia
✔✔What part of the brain seems to be important in moving information to the long-term
memory store (and is damaged in anterograde amnesia)? - ✔✔Hippocampus
✔✔What is consolidation? - ✔✔process that maintains, strengthens, and modifies
memories that are already in long-term memory
✔✔What is reconsolidation? - ✔✔the action of reactivating existing memories from the
past
✔✔Researchers believe that the connections between neurons might be the basis for
long-term memory. What physical changes seem to result from learning? - ✔✔New
neural pathways are formed in the brain between neurons as we learn new material
✔✔What is long-term potentiation? - ✔✔increase in synaptic plasticity/strength of
synapse. key component of learning.
✔✔What are retrieval cues? - ✔✔external information that helps bring stored
information to mind like a familiar smell or sound
, ✔✔What is the encoding specificity principle? - ✔✔recall is better if the retrieval context
is similar to the encoding context
example: chewing a piece of gum while studying, then chewing the same piece of gum
during the exam
✔✔What is state-dependent retrieval? - ✔✔The state you're in such as being happy or
sad, while determine which memories etc are more easily retrieved. Your state of
consciousness being the same.
Example if you're depressed you find it easier to recall sad memories/knowledge than if
you were happy.
✔✔How does retrieval improve memory? - ✔✔By practicing retrieval, it can help our
brain adapt to remember more and allow us to store more information for long-term.
✔✔What are the different forms of memory? - ✔✔sensory (very small periods of times)
short-term (lasts around 30 seconds unless you have repetition)
long-term (different forms, what you can remember in a significant period from now)
✔✔How is explicit memory different from implicit memory? - ✔✔Explicit memory is
something that can be intentionally recalled whereas implicit is something that cannot
Example: explicit - remember information for an exam
implicit - remember how to balance
✔✔What is procedural memory? - ✔✔type of implicit memory that stores information
about how to do things
✔✔What is priming? - ✔✔the activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations
in memory
✔✔Do people with anterograde amnesia still have the ability to form new implicit
memories? - ✔✔Yes
✔✔How is semantic memory different from episodic memory? - ✔✔Semantic memory is
general facts i.e. the sun is hot, there are 7 continents, cats are felines
Episodic memory is recall of personal facts i.e. my name is Sally, I've been to Canada, I
once fought a bear with my bare hands
✔✔What is transience? - ✔✔forgetting over time
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔What is echoic memory? - ✔✔a momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if
attention is elsewhere, sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds
✔✔Describe the experiment by Sperling (1960) and how it showed sensory memory
exists - ✔✔Iconic memory test: When a grid of letters is flashed on screen for only
1/20th of a second, it is difficult to recall individual letters. But if prompted to remember
a particular row immediately after the grid is shown, research participants will do so with
high accuracy.
Sperling used this procedure to demonstrate that although iconic memory stores the
whole grid, the information fades away too quickly for a person to recall everything
✔✔How long does sensory memory last? - ✔✔1/5 to 1/2 of a second
✔✔What is short term memory? - ✔✔a memory storage system that briefly holds a
limited amount of information in awareness
✔✔How long can information stay in short term memory? - ✔✔Between 15 & 30secs
,✔✔What is rehearsal? - ✔✔the process of keeping information in short-term memory by
mentally repeating it
✔✔What is the capacity of short term memory? - ✔✔+/- 7 items
✔✔What is chunking? - ✔✔organizing items into familiar, manageable units; often
occurs automatically such as a phone number
instead of seeing 1235557890, we'd organize it as 123-555-7890
✔✔What is working memory & how does it show the active nature of this type of
memory? - ✔✔What you're thinking of in that exact moment (short term memory)
Your mind is constantly thinking of different things so your short term memory is
constantly changing with what it was focusing on.
✔✔What is long-term memory? - ✔✔the relatively permanent and limitless storehouse
of the memory system
✔✔What is capacity? - ✔✔The amount of information that can be held in a memory
store
✔✔What is anterograde amnesia? - ✔✔inability to form new memories
✔✔What is retrograde amnesia? - ✔✔Inability to remember events that occurred before
the incidence of trauma or the onset of the disease that caused the amnesia
✔✔What part of the brain seems to be important in moving information to the long-term
memory store (and is damaged in anterograde amnesia)? - ✔✔Hippocampus
✔✔What is consolidation? - ✔✔process that maintains, strengthens, and modifies
memories that are already in long-term memory
✔✔What is reconsolidation? - ✔✔the action of reactivating existing memories from the
past
✔✔Researchers believe that the connections between neurons might be the basis for
long-term memory. What physical changes seem to result from learning? - ✔✔New
neural pathways are formed in the brain between neurons as we learn new material
✔✔What is long-term potentiation? - ✔✔increase in synaptic plasticity/strength of
synapse. key component of learning.
✔✔What are retrieval cues? - ✔✔external information that helps bring stored
information to mind like a familiar smell or sound
, ✔✔What is the encoding specificity principle? - ✔✔recall is better if the retrieval context
is similar to the encoding context
example: chewing a piece of gum while studying, then chewing the same piece of gum
during the exam
✔✔What is state-dependent retrieval? - ✔✔The state you're in such as being happy or
sad, while determine which memories etc are more easily retrieved. Your state of
consciousness being the same.
Example if you're depressed you find it easier to recall sad memories/knowledge than if
you were happy.
✔✔How does retrieval improve memory? - ✔✔By practicing retrieval, it can help our
brain adapt to remember more and allow us to store more information for long-term.
✔✔What are the different forms of memory? - ✔✔sensory (very small periods of times)
short-term (lasts around 30 seconds unless you have repetition)
long-term (different forms, what you can remember in a significant period from now)
✔✔How is explicit memory different from implicit memory? - ✔✔Explicit memory is
something that can be intentionally recalled whereas implicit is something that cannot
Example: explicit - remember information for an exam
implicit - remember how to balance
✔✔What is procedural memory? - ✔✔type of implicit memory that stores information
about how to do things
✔✔What is priming? - ✔✔the activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations
in memory
✔✔Do people with anterograde amnesia still have the ability to form new implicit
memories? - ✔✔Yes
✔✔How is semantic memory different from episodic memory? - ✔✔Semantic memory is
general facts i.e. the sun is hot, there are 7 continents, cats are felines
Episodic memory is recall of personal facts i.e. my name is Sally, I've been to Canada, I
once fought a bear with my bare hands
✔✔What is transience? - ✔✔forgetting over time
