Psychology Chapter 8: Everyday Memory

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Questions and Answers

What does Chomsky's example of 'colorless green ideas sleep furiously' illustrate?

The importance of word chain grammar

The structure of hierarchical models

The relationship between syntax and semantics

The difference between grammaticality and meaningfulness (correct)

Which statement best describes the role of syntax in language?

Syntax is an outdated concept in modern linguistics.

Syntax is the set of rules for meaning in language.

Syntax is the structure that governs the combination of words into phrases and sentences. (correct)

Syntax focuses solely on word morphology.

What characterizes hierarchical models of language?

They disregard syntax in favor of phonetics.

They illustrate dependencies between different language levels. (correct)

They prioritize surface structure over deep structure.

They organize language elements in a flat structure.

How do surface and deep structures differ?

Surface structure involves the arrangement of words, whereas deep structure relates to underlying meaning. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines grammar?

The entire set of rules for constructing and understanding language, including syntax and morphology. Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of word chain grammar?

It fails to capture structural dependencies and complex relationships in sentences. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of language acquisition is highlighted by the hierarchical model?

The sequential progression from phonemes to complex sentences. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly relates to the concept of syntax?

Syntax provides a blueprint for assembling sentences based on grammatical rules. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the cognitive view of language learning?

Interaction of mental representations Signup and view all the answers

Which view of language acquisition posits that learning is primarily through reinforcement?

Behaviorist view Signup and view all the answers

How does the generative aspect of language contribute to our communication abilities?

By enabling infinite combinations of sentences Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish one word from another?

Phoneme Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes bound morphemes?

Prefixes and suffixes that need attachment Signup and view all the answers

What does discourse encompass in language use?

All instances of language, verbal and non-verbal Signup and view all the answers

Which of these components represents the hierarchical structure of language?

Phoneme, Morpheme, Phrase, Sentence, Discourse Signup and view all the answers

What distinction does Chomsky make between surface structure and deep structure in language?

Surface structure is the physical representation, deep structure is the underlying meaning Signup and view all the answers

What concept does the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) propose?

Humans are born with an innate ability to learn language. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary distinction between surface structure and deep structure in language?

Surface structure refers to the literal sentence form, while deep structure represents the underlying meaning. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes critical periods in language development?

They are specifically identified as the best times for learning language. Signup and view all the answers

What error in reasoning is illustrated by Steven Pinker's quote about spiders spinning webs?

It exemplifies circular reasoning. Signup and view all the answers

At what developmental stage do infants typically begin to produce vowel-like sounds?

Cooing Stage Signup and view all the answers

What role does specialized language production play in communication?

It varies based on context and purpose. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best captures Noam Chomsky’s contribution to language acquisition theory?

He argued that language learning is ingrained and automatic. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common misconception about the critical periods for language learning?

They can be extended through practice. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Everyday Memory (Chapter 8)

Autobiographical memory is a memory system for personal events influenced by beliefs, values, and emotions
Encoding is taking in new info and storing it
Storage is keeping info in memory over time
Retrieval is bringing info back from memory
Autobiographical memory helps us understand ourselves, make decisions, connect with others, and create a sense of self
Transition points are periods of significant change marking different phases of development (childhood to adolescence, adolescence to adulthood, early adulthood to midlife)
The reminiscence bump is better recall of adolescence and young adulthood (ages 15-25) compared to other life periods

Self-image Theory

We remember events better from periods when we are forming our sense of self
Events shape beliefs, values, and aspirations

Cognitive Theory

The brain is better at storing and retrieving memories during adolescence and young adulthood due to full memory processing capacity

Cultural Life Script Theory

Memories are influenced by expected life events and milestones of a culture

Role of Emotion in Memory

Emotions affect how information is encoded, stored, and retrieved
Emotional events are more memorable than neutral ones due to hormone release (adrenaline and cortisol)
Emotional state during encoding affects memory recall
Mood congruent memory - we tend to recall info that aligns with our current mood

Flashbulb Memories

Vivid, detailed memories of significant events
They feel like a snapshot in time, but are not always accurate

Constructive Nature of Memory

Memories are not passive recordings of events, but are actively constructed and reconstructed each time they are recalled
Filling gaps
Integrating info
Influenced by emotions
Affected by schemas (mental frameworks)

Source Monitoring

Process of determining the origin of memories (from real events, dreams, or imagined)

Cryptomnesia

Unconscious plagiarism of someone else's work

Schemas and Scripts

Schemas are general knowledge structures representing understanding of concepts, events, and situations
Scripts are sequences of events within a particular situation

Prototype Approach

Prototypes (best examples) of categories help us classify new items based on similarity

Exemplar Approach

Comparing new items to existing examples (exemplars) for categorization

Semantic Networks

Representing knowledge as a web of interconnected concepts (nodes) and relationships (arcs)

Cognitive Economy

Brain's efficiency in using categories and schemas to process information quickly

Lexical Decision Task

Psychological test to study how people process language by determining if a string of letters is a word or not

Spreading Activation

When one concept is thought of, it activates related concepts in the mind, leading to a chain reaction of activation

Classical vs. Behaviorist vs. Cognitive Views of Language

Classical view: Memorizing grammar rules and word meanings
Behaviorist view: Learning through reinforcement and imitation
Cognitive view: Complex mental representations + interaction with cognitive processes

Generative Aspect of Language

The ability to create a limitless number of sentences using finite rules and words

Dynamic Aspect of Language Production & Processing

Language processing occurs on multiple levels (phoneme → discourse)

Phoneme

The smallest unit of sound that distinguishes one word from another

Morpheme

The smallest meaningful unit in a language; free or bound

Discourse

The process of using language in particular contexts (e.g., conversations, speeches, etc.)
Considering relationships, setting, and overall purpose of communication

Categorical Perception vs. Continuous Perception

Categorical perception: perceiving sounds in distinct categories
Continuous perception: perceiving all variations
Speech perception is unique because it uses categorical perception

Coarticulation

Sounds in speech are not produced in isolation; influenced by preceding and following sounds

Dialects and Phonemes

Dialects are variations and phonemes are the basic sounds

McGurk Effect

Visual information influences perception of speech sounds
Ex: Audio "ba" but visual "ga", perception blends to "da"

Phonemic Restoration Effect

Brain fills in missing sounds based on surrounding context

Hierarchical Models

Organizing language elements into a hierarchy (phoneme → discourse)

Syntax and Grammar

Syntax: rules for combining words into phrases and sentences
Grammar: broader construct that encompasses rules for construction and understanding language
Word-chain grammar: simplistic view of language - each word determined by the preceding word

Surface vs. Deep Structure

Surface: actual arrangement of words
Deep: underlying meaning of a sentence

Language Acquisition Device (LAD)

Innate capacity to learn and understand language quickly

Specialized Language Production

The different ways language is used in specific situations (e.g., specialized language, scientific presentation)

Critical Periods

Specific time windows for learning certain skills (e.g., language skills)

Cooing, Babbling, One-Word Utterances, Two-Word Utterances (speech production stages)

Phoneme Specialization at Babbling Stage

Babies start reflecting the specific sounds of their native language in babbling

Over-generalization

Incorrectly applying grammatical rules in language

Perception Before Production

Understanding language precedes producing language

Wug test

Investigate children's understanding of grammatical rules

Bilingualism (single vs dual system hypothesis)

Single system: Integrated language system
Dual system: Separate language systems for each language

Pidgins and Creoles

Pidgins: Simplified languages from multiple languages
Creoles: Pidgin becomes native language - develops own grammar and vocabulary

Neuropsychology (Verbal vs Non-Verbal IQ)

Verbal IQ: Language skills
Nonverbal IQ: Other cognitive skills

Brain Lesions (left hemisphere)

Damage to the left hemisphere can cause language impairments like aphasia

William's Syndrome

Rare genetic disorder affecting many parts of the body (including the brain) associated with language, spatial reasoning challenges

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Description

Explore the intricacies of autobiographical memory as detailed in Chapter 8 of your psychology course. Understand how encoding, storage, and retrieval processes influence personal memory, especially during significant life transitions and the development of self-image. This chapter delves into how memories shape our beliefs and values, particularly in adolescence and young adulthood.