Psychology Short-Term Memory Quiz
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Psychology Short-Term Memory Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What was the primary focus of behaviorism, in contrast to Miller's article?

  • Social influences
  • Emotions and feelings
  • Cognitive processes
  • Observable behaviors (correct)
  • The Brown/Peterson and Peterson technique primarily investigates which aspect of memory?

  • Visual memory recall
  • Semantic memory accuracy
  • Long-term memory retention
  • Capacity of short-term memory (correct)
  • What task was used in the Brown/Peterson and Peterson technique to disrupt rehearsal?

  • Singing a song
  • Reciting the alphabet
  • Solving math problems
  • Counting backward by threes (correct)
  • What does the recency effect in the serial position effect refer to?

    <p>Better recall of last items in a list</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are items at the beginning of a list recalled better, according to the primacy effect?

    <p>They are rehearsed more frequently</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about short-term memory capacity is accurate?

    <p>It can retain about three to seven items.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does semantic similarity influence short-term memory retention?

    <p>It enhances retention through chunking strategies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a significant outcome from using the Brown/Peterson and Peterson technique?

    <p>Participants often forgot around half of the items after a short delay.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key improvement of the working memory model over the short-term store model?

    <p>It accounts for active processing and information storage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the research on verbal working memory, what is the anticipated recall capacity for individuals in simple span tasks?

    <p>6 items</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the Maxispan procedure aim to achieve in the context of verbal working memory?

    <p>To maximize the phonological loop’s capacity by limiting rehearsed items.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Miller's (1956) original estimate of the limit of immediate verbal memory differ between digits and letters?

    <p>It is lower for letters than for digits.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following components is NOT part of the verbal working memory systems identified in the research?

    <p>Visual sketchpad</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a key finding from the experiments using the Maxispan procedure?

    <p>Recall spans increased dramatically, nearing 8 items.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the primary finding regarding the maxispan group's performance compared to the simple span group in Experiment 2?

    <p>Maxispan group exhibited significantly higher recall spans than simple span group.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What misconception about memory capacity did some researchers propose instead of Miller's seven-item limit?

    <p>The limit is 3 or 4 items.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the maxispan group, how did the number of blue letters affect recall accuracy?

    <p>Higher numbers of blue letters resulted in improved recall accuracy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which aspect of the working memory model has been criticized for being oversimplified?

    <p>The accounting of spatial working memory differences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What conclusion can be inferred about the maxispan procedure?

    <p>It directs items into separate memory systems.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect was observed in both groups regarding serial position curves?

    <p>Both groups demonstrated a strong primacy effect and a small recency effect.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the effect of the number of black letters on black letter recall accuracy in the maxispan group?

    <p>Black letter recall accuracy decreased as the number of blue letters increased.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the procedure for presenting letters to participants in Experiment 2?

    <p>Auditory letters presented at a rate of one every 2,000 ms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role did colored squares play in the method used for the maxispan group?

    <p>They indicated whether the letter should be rehearsed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What statistical method was used to compare recall spans between the maxispan and simple span groups?

    <p>Cohen's d.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two separate systems in verbal working memory identified through the maxispan procedure?

    <p>Articulatory loop and executive loop</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which model was found to be inconsistent with the findings from the maxispan procedure?

    <p>Unsworth &amp; Engle's model of primary and secondary memory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect did black letters in the maxispan procedure demonstrate support for in active maintenance?

    <p>Primacy effects</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What limitation is highlighted regarding simple span tasks in the assessment of STM capacity?

    <p>They do not capture complex cognitive interactions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the phonological loop in the dual-system structure of verbal working memory?

    <p>It holds motor programs through rehearsal.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect does the maxispan procedure reveal about short-term memory spans?

    <p>They involve multiple mental processes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of the task setting process identified by Stuss and Alexander?

    <p>Planning and forming stimulus-response relationships</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is the maxispan procedure viewed in relation to traditional simple span tasks?

    <p>It enhances diagnostic and prognostic power.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which brain network is associated with response inhibition and conflict monitoring?

    <p>Cognitive Control Network</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What evidence supports the existence of distinct systems in verbal working memory?

    <p>Neurological findings demonstrating distinct brain activations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What limitation related to executive processes is highlighted by Miyake and Friedman?

    <p>Tasks often involve multiple executive processes, complicating attribution</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which executive process involves checking task performance to avoid errors?

    <p>Monitoring</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the episodic buffer in Baddeley's working memory model do?

    <p>Holds integrated information in a multi-dimensional code</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following executive functions is NOT explicitly mentioned as a key process by Stuss and Alexander?

    <p>Emotional Regulation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What area is linked to the process of metacognition/integration as added by Stuss?

    <p>Frontopolar prefrontal cortex</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What issue remains unresolved regarding executive processes according to ongoing debates?

    <p>The exact number and classification of executive processes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Early Research on Short-Term Capacity Limits

    • The Brown/Peterson and Peterson Technique, developed in the 1950s, demonstrated the fragility of short-term memory by showing that information is often forgotten within a minute.
    • This technique involved presenting participants with items to remember followed by a distracting task to prevent rehearsal.
    • Results showed that after a 5-second delay, participants forgot about half of the letters.

    Serial Position Effect

    • This describes the U-shaped relationship between the position of a word in a list and its probability of recall.
    • Recency Effect: Items at the end of the list are easier to recall because they are still in short-term memory.
    • Primacy Effect: Items at the beginning of the list are also easier to remember because they face no competition from earlier items and are rehearsed more frequently.
    • Researchers estimate the size of short-term memory to be about three to seven items using this method.

    Semantic Similarity of Items in Short-Term Memory

    • Meaning (semantics) can influence short-term memory retention.
    • Chunking: This strategy involves grouping related items together, increasing the amount of information stored in short-term memory.

    Dysexecutive Syndrome

    • This condition involves problems with executive functions like planning, decision-making, and self-regulation.
    • It often leads to difficulties in everyday life, such as maintaining a job.
    • Stuss and Alexander argued that dysexecutive syndrome is not always caused by global damage to the frontal lobes but rather by dysfunction in specific regions.

    Central Executive Theory

    • Stuss and Alexander identified three key executive processes linked to specific regions within the prefrontal cortex:
      • Task Setting: Planning and learning new tasks.
      • Monitoring: Checking task performance to avoid errors.
      • Energisation: Sustained attention and concentration.

    Central Executive Theory Limitations

    • Task-Impurity Problem: It is difficult to isolate the contribution of a single executive process because many tasks involve multiple processes simultaneously.
    • Unclear Number and Nature of Executive Processes: There is ongoing debate about what constitutes an executive process.

    Episodic Buffer

    • This system holds integrated information (chunks) in a multi-dimensional code.
    • It was added to Baddeley's working memory model in 2000.

    Overall Evaluation of the Working Memory Model

    • The model is an improvement over the short-term store model by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968), as it accounts for active processing and information storage and explains partial deficits in short-term memory observed in brain-damaged patients.
    • Despite strengths, the model is oversimplified and ignores other types of information (e.g., smell, touch) and spatial WM differences.
    • Further research is needed to clarify the number and nature of executive processes, particularly how the episodic buffer integrates information.

    Simple Spans Underestimate Verbal Working Memory Capacity

    • Verbal working memory involves two main systems:
      • Phonological Loop: Stores and rehearses verbal information.
      • Central Attentional System: Manages attention and additional information.
    • The research indicates that individuals often underuse their working memory by trying to rehearse too many items.

    Maxispan Procedure

    • This procedure was designed to maximize recall by having participants rehearse only a limited number of items, leaving the remaining items for the attentional system.
    • In three experiments, this method dramatically increased recall spans, especially when the rehearsed letters were presented auditorily and the remaining letters visually.

    Reappraisals of Miller's (1956) Estimate

    • Miller's original estimate of seven items applies primarily to digits.
    • Researchers quickly proposed that the limit is actually three or four items, not seven.

    Results

    • The maxispan procedure directed items into separate memory systems, optimizing recall performance for both blue and black letters.
    • The maxispan group had significantly higher spans compared to the simple span group.

    Neurological Evidence

    • Distinct brain activations for articulatory rehearsal and attentional refreshing support the idea of two separate systems in verbal working memory.

    Nature of Different Systems

    • The maxispan procedure indicates two separate systems in verbal working memory: the phonological loop and an executive loop.
    • The phonological loop relies on rehearsal, while the executive loop relies on attentional maintenance.

    Conclusion

    • Short-term memory (STM) spans are not limited by a single buffer but are influenced by two distinct storage systems: the articulatory loop and the attentional central system.
    • Simple span tasks do not solely reflect the capacity of one cognitive structure.
    • The maxispan procedure reveals deeper insights into STM. However, it does not replace traditional simple span tasks, which have been useful in assessments for over a century.
    • Understanding what these tasks measure enhances their diagnostic and prognostic power.

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    Description

    Test your knowledge on early research regarding short-term memory capacity limits. This quiz covers key concepts like the Brown/Peterson technique and the serial position effect. Understand how position in a list affects recall and the impact of distracting tasks on memory performance.

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