Psychology Chapter: Sensory Memory

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Questions and Answers

What is the nature of iconic memory?

It is a brief visual sensory memory, lasting only a fraction of a second. (correct)

It provides long-lasting memory of visual information.

It is a type of auditory memory lasting for several seconds.

It has a larger duration than echoic memory.

How does the capacity of echoic memory compare to iconic memory?

Echoic memory retains information longer than iconic memory.

Echoic memory is limited to smaller sound inputs at one time. (correct)

Both have the same capacity.

Echoic memory has a larger capacity than iconic memory.

What is the capacity of short-term memory as suggested by the digit-span test?

Around ten to twelve bits of information.

Only one item can be recalled at a time.

No more than three items at any time.

Approximately five to nine items of information. (correct)

What role does selective attention play in short-term memory?

It enables the focus on one stimulus among many sensory inputs. Signup and view all the answers

What differentiates working memory from short-term memory?

Working memory actively processes information rather than just storing it. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the encoding process in memory?

To convert sensory information into a usable form Signup and view all the answers

Which model of memory suggests that information processing is like a computer's memory?

Information-processing model Signup and view all the answers

What does the levels-of-processing model state about information processing?

Deeper processing relates to better retention. Signup and view all the answers

In the storage process of memory, what is primarily being held onto?

Information for a specific duration Signup and view all the answers

What do parallel distributed processing models emphasize about memory processes?

They involve neural connections all working simultaneously. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a process of memory?

Transformation Signup and view all the answers

How does retrieval function in the context of memory?

It gets stored information back into usable form. Signup and view all the answers

Which model suggests that memory processes occur simultaneously across a network?

Parallel distributed processing model Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon occurs when a person temporarily cannot retrieve a memory but feels it is just out of reach?

Tip of the tongue (TOT) phenomenon Signup and view all the answers

Which effect describes the tendency to remember information better when it is presented at the beginning of a list?

Primacy effect Signup and view all the answers

What type of memory is formed automatically with little effort due to strong emotional associations?

Flashbulb memories Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the process by which memories are reconstructed and possibly altered during retrieval?

Constructive processing Signup and view all the answers

Which phenomenon describes the incorporation of misleading information into one’s memory of an event?

Misinformation effect Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the tendency to remember the most recent information better than the information presented earlier?

Recency effect Signup and view all the answers

What mechanism allows certain types of information to enter long-term memory with minimal effort?

Automatic encoding Signup and view all the answers

What is it called when individuals mistakenly recall past events as having been predictable because they alter their memories?

Hindsight bias Signup and view all the answers

What is the average duration that short-term memory can hold information without rehearsal?

12 to 30 seconds Signup and view all the answers

Which method is used to enhance the transfer of information from short-term memory to long-term memory?

Elaborative rehearsal Signup and view all the answers

What type of memory is involved when performing a skill without conscious awareness, like riding a bicycle?

Nondeclarative memory Signup and view all the answers

How does context-dependent learning enhance memory retrieval?

By matching the learning environment with the retrieval environment Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of retrieval cues in memory?

To improve recall of information Signup and view all the answers

Which type of memory is responsible for recalling facts and general knowledge?

Semantic memory Signup and view all the answers

What happens to memory when counting is interrupted, according to the nature of short-term memory?

It requires starting over Signup and view all the answers

What is anterograde amnesia characterized by?

Inability to form new long-term memories Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes the method of organizing long-term memory in a connected fashion based on meanings and concepts?

Semantic network model Signup and view all the answers

Which type of memory includes emotional associations and conditioned reflexes?

Nondeclarative memory Signup and view all the answers

What does the curve of forgetting illustrate about memory retention over time?

Forgetting is very rapid immediately after learning and then slows down. Signup and view all the answers

Which practice method is shown to produce better retrieval of information?

Distributed practice Signup and view all the answers

What does encoding failure refer to?

Failure to process information into memory. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during retroactive interference?

New information prevents the retrieval of older information. Signup and view all the answers

What does long-term potentiation involve?

Physical change in brain structure with memory formation. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of amnesia affects the ability to recall past memories?

Retrograde amnesia Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the hippocampus related to memory?

Consolidating and processing long-term memories. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'decay' imply in memory theories?

Loss of memory due to the passage of time without usage. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Sensory Memory

First stage of memory where information enters the nervous system through sensory systems.
Iconic memory: visual sensory memory lasting a fraction of a second; quickly masked by new visual input.
Eidetic imagery: rare ability to recall visual images for 30 seconds or longer.
Echoic memory: brief memory of auditory information lasting about two to four seconds; capacity smaller than iconic memory.

Short-Term Memory

Short-term memory (STM): holds information briefly while in use; relies on selective attention to focus on one stimulus amid sensory input.
Working memory: active system that processes information in short-term memory.
Digit-span test indicates STM capacity is approximately seven items (five to nine bits of information).

Memory Processes

Memory involves encoding, storage, and retrieval of information.
Encoding: mental operations converting sensory information into a usable form.
Storage: retaining information over time.
Retrieval: accessing stored information in a usable form.

Models of Memory

Information-processing model compares memory processing to computer operations in three stages.
Parallel distributed processing (PDP) model suggests memory processes occur simultaneously across a neural network.
Levels-of-processing model posits deeper processing (meaning-based) leads to better retention.

Short-Term Memory Techniques

Chunking: combining bits of information into meaningful units for easier retention.
Maintenance rehearsal: repetition of information in STM to maintain it; often encoded in auditory form.
STM lasts approximately 12-30 seconds without rehearsal and is sensitive to interference.

Long-Term Memory

Long-term memory (LTM): system for storing information permanently.
Elaborative rehearsal: transferring information from STM to LTM by making it meaningful.
Types of LTM:
- Nondeclarative (implicit) memory: skills, habits, and emotional associations, often unconscious.
- Declarative (explicit) memory: conscious recall of facts and events, divided into semantic (general knowledge) and episodic (personal experiences) memory.

Memory Organization and Retrieval

LTM is organized based on related meanings; semantic network model connects related concepts closer in storage.
Retrieval cues enhance memory recall; priming can improve performance based on previous exposure.
Context-dependent learning relates to recalling information in the physical environment where it was learned.

Retrieval and Forgetting

Recall involves retrieving information with minimal cues; susceptible to the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon.
Serial position effect: better recall of information at the beginning (primacy effect) and end (recency effect) of lists compared to the middle.
Recognition: identifying previously learned information, which can be affected by false positives.

Automatic Encoding and Flashbulb Memories

Automatic encoding enables some information to enter LTM without effort.
Flashbulb memories represent vivid memories of emotionally charged events.

Memory Formation

Constructive processing involves reconstructing memories at retrieval, potentially altering them.
Hindsight bias leads to re-evaluation of past events with new information, creating a false sense of predictability.

Forgetting

Curve of forgetting shows rapid memory loss post-learning, tapering off gradually.
Distributed practice improves retrieval over massed practice.
Encoding failure occurs when information isn't processed into memory.

Interference Theory and Neuroscience

Interference theory suggests proactive (older information interfering with new) and retroactive (new information interfering with old) retrieval problems.
Consolidation involves changes in neuron structure/function during memory formation, notably in the hippocampus.
Amnesia types:
- Retrograde amnesia: loss of memories before an injury.
- Anterograde amnesia: inability to form new long-term memories post-injury, as demonstrated by the case of H.M.

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Description

Explore the fascinating world of sensory memory, the first stage of memory processing where information enters through our sensory systems. Delve into the characteristics of iconic memory, its brief duration, and the concept of masking as new information replaces old. Understand the rare phenomenon of eidetic imagery and its implications for visual memory.