PN 2002: Cognition Final Exam with
All Accurate Answers 2026 Edition.
7 Be able to describe the interference theory of forgetting - Answer What a person is
currently learning can be disrupted by: proactive interference (what they have previously
learned), and retroactive interference (what they will learn in the future).
-Typically investigated with explicit memory paradigms (like remembering word pairs and only
tested for certain parts of the list ex. second word)
Explanations for proactive interference: correct response is very weak (discriminability) or
correct response is strong) - in word pairings.
...overloading working memory increases proactive interference
(Opposite of) Proactive facilitation: when encouraged to notice differences between originally vs
later learned info.
Retroactive interference
-Most pronounced when new learning resembles old learning (children more susceptible than
adults to non-specific retroactive interference) bc. their WM is reduced and they have less
inhibitory control. (For this, you need to inhibit the old learning from interfering)
7 Be able to describe and evaluate different models of
forgetting. - Answer Motivated Forgetting: conscious or unconscious; deliberately trying to
forget info in memory... can occur as response to implicit or explicit cues by ourselves or others.
ex. Repression - wanting to not remember traumatic memories --false memories and repressed
ones are connected.
Directed forgetting paradigm - impaired retrieval when an instruction is given to forget some
material presented in learning. (Two methods - item method and list method)... Memory on
both recall and recognition poorer for to-be-forgotten words than remembered.
7 Be able to describe the encoding specificity principle - Answer When you learn something
in context xy, it will be easier to recall in said context over a different one.
Example study - remembering items underwater and on-shore and then recalling in either the
same or different context
7 Be able to describe the weapons effect and race effect - Answer Weapons distract us as
they induce stress and we hence remember less detail- we focus more on the gun than the
cheque (study).
Culprit details, crime scene details and
, actions of key characters were recalled more
accurately in low ( 64%) versus high stress
conditions (52%).
Cross-race id (1.56 times greater chance of
mis id)
We tend to exhibit racial biases and attribute more negative traits to other races over our own.
We also identify same-race better than cross-race. Behrman & Davey (2001)- found
that actual suspects were more correctly
identified when they were of the same race as
the eyewitness ( 60%) versus a different race
(45%)
Explanations- expertise (more familiar w/ own race), and in-group biases.
(ex. found cross-race effect in the wealthy
context but not impoverished context. White
faces recognised better in wealthy context)
7 Be able to describe the cognitive interview and why it is
important - Answer Geiselman, Fisher, Mackinnon & Holland
(1986)
Reinstatement of context
Recalling from different perspectives
Repeated recall using different temporal orders
Recording all details even minor ones
8 Be able to define various reference frames and ways of
representing space - Answer Frames of Reference
-Allocentric: viewer-independent (harder)
-Egocentric: viewer-dependent (easier)
Types of Information
-Metric: in reference to distance and direction ('50m south')
-Categorical: located with
reference to a larger region,
but exact co-ordinates are
not specified ('in the field')
Tools for Representing Space
All Accurate Answers 2026 Edition.
7 Be able to describe the interference theory of forgetting - Answer What a person is
currently learning can be disrupted by: proactive interference (what they have previously
learned), and retroactive interference (what they will learn in the future).
-Typically investigated with explicit memory paradigms (like remembering word pairs and only
tested for certain parts of the list ex. second word)
Explanations for proactive interference: correct response is very weak (discriminability) or
correct response is strong) - in word pairings.
...overloading working memory increases proactive interference
(Opposite of) Proactive facilitation: when encouraged to notice differences between originally vs
later learned info.
Retroactive interference
-Most pronounced when new learning resembles old learning (children more susceptible than
adults to non-specific retroactive interference) bc. their WM is reduced and they have less
inhibitory control. (For this, you need to inhibit the old learning from interfering)
7 Be able to describe and evaluate different models of
forgetting. - Answer Motivated Forgetting: conscious or unconscious; deliberately trying to
forget info in memory... can occur as response to implicit or explicit cues by ourselves or others.
ex. Repression - wanting to not remember traumatic memories --false memories and repressed
ones are connected.
Directed forgetting paradigm - impaired retrieval when an instruction is given to forget some
material presented in learning. (Two methods - item method and list method)... Memory on
both recall and recognition poorer for to-be-forgotten words than remembered.
7 Be able to describe the encoding specificity principle - Answer When you learn something
in context xy, it will be easier to recall in said context over a different one.
Example study - remembering items underwater and on-shore and then recalling in either the
same or different context
7 Be able to describe the weapons effect and race effect - Answer Weapons distract us as
they induce stress and we hence remember less detail- we focus more on the gun than the
cheque (study).
Culprit details, crime scene details and
, actions of key characters were recalled more
accurately in low ( 64%) versus high stress
conditions (52%).
Cross-race id (1.56 times greater chance of
mis id)
We tend to exhibit racial biases and attribute more negative traits to other races over our own.
We also identify same-race better than cross-race. Behrman & Davey (2001)- found
that actual suspects were more correctly
identified when they were of the same race as
the eyewitness ( 60%) versus a different race
(45%)
Explanations- expertise (more familiar w/ own race), and in-group biases.
(ex. found cross-race effect in the wealthy
context but not impoverished context. White
faces recognised better in wealthy context)
7 Be able to describe the cognitive interview and why it is
important - Answer Geiselman, Fisher, Mackinnon & Holland
(1986)
Reinstatement of context
Recalling from different perspectives
Repeated recall using different temporal orders
Recording all details even minor ones
8 Be able to define various reference frames and ways of
representing space - Answer Frames of Reference
-Allocentric: viewer-independent (harder)
-Egocentric: viewer-dependent (easier)
Types of Information
-Metric: in reference to distance and direction ('50m south')
-Categorical: located with
reference to a larger region,
but exact co-ordinates are
not specified ('in the field')
Tools for Representing Space
