Cog Psych Exam 3

What is a false memory? Describe 2 things (factors) that increase the possibility of creating a false memory.

A memory for something that did not happen. It could be something that completely didn't happen, or it could be something that happened but not that way. 1. Repeated suggestions that the event occurred. 2. Use of hypnosis or guided imagery.

Distinguish between analogue and propositional image representations. Be sure to use an example to contrast the two.

Analouge image representation is storing a real copy of the image, where as propositional image representation is story a description of the scene and more of an abstract view. For example, a digital clock would be an example of propositional because it lacks the movement and measurements that take place on a regular clock.

How do good and poor imagers compare in terms of their susceptibility to creating a false memory? Be sure to cite some research evidence supporting your answer.

Good imagers have more trouble with reality monitoring because their images are so good, and they are confusing the real from the imagined.

Bartlett, in his work with schemas, found that semantic long-term memories were reconstructive not reproductive. What does that mean? Be sure to describe the results of his work to support your answer

a. Studies dealt with folktalesb. Findings: memory not particularly reproductivei. Instead memory is reconstructive 1. Omissions- people do not recall many details2. Overwhelming tendency to add to and alter storiesg. What we already know exerts a strong influence on what we remember about new material

List 3 things/factoids that you know about how real images are stored in the mind. Be sure to provide 1 piece of evidence to support one of your facts.

· 1. Every little detail not stored: evidence show relatively poor memory for details. 2. Maintains original spatial relationships. 3. Evidence of top-down processing; stored image fills in details: Classroom Scene Study-Mandler & Parker (1976)

List the 4 different types of categories talked about in class. Describe the differences and give examples for 2 of them.

· 1. Natural-naturally occurring groups, e.g., flowers, fruits, animals. 2. Artifact-things invented/creates by humans, e.g., furniture, clothing. 3. Nominal-concepts that fulfill certain conditions defined by society. 4. Goal-Directed-objects that fulfill a particular goal.

List 3 benefits (or consequences) of forming categories discussed in class.

· 1. Reduces the need for constant learning. 2. Reduces the complexity of our environment. 3. Makes our lives a lot easier, processing system more efficient.

Distinguish between the following effects: category size effect, reversal of category size effect, typicality, and semantic facilitation/priming.

· Category size/effect: You can classify a member of a smaller category faster. Reversal of category size effect: You classify things faster into a larger category. Typicality: Classify more typical instances faster than lesser representatives or less typical. Semantic facilitation (or priming): Happens in a semantic network when a decision about one concept makes it easier or faster to decide about another related concept. Semantic distance effect: It takes longer to verify an item the further removed it is from its entry point. The more associative steps or links that are required for me to traverse the longer it takes for me to respond.

Why are concrete words remembered better than abstract words? Be sure to tie in Pavio's dual coding theory.

· Concrete words can be imaged, so they are less difficult to remember. Paivio argues two independent memory codes-one verbal, one visual (dual coding theory). Study: Invite participants in the lab to participant in a paired associate learning task (learn things in pairs and at test time you are given one to help you remember the other). 16-word pairs. Manipulates what he pairs with one another. Put 2 concrete words together, calls the high high group. Put 2 abstract words together, calls the low low group. Two combination groups: high low and low high groups. At test time we give you the first one and your task is to give the second one. Two lows lead to worse performance. Two highs lead to best performance. Better to have a concrete word first.

Distinguish between the conjunctive, disjunctive, conditional, and biconditional rules of logic. Recall these were used to describe early categorization processes.

· Conjunctive ("and")-both attributes required. Disjunctive ("or")-either attribute required. Conditional ("if, then")-if first attribute holds, second must hold; if first doesn't, second not required/relevant. Biconditional ("if, then-both directions")-if first attribute holds, second must hold; If second attribute holds, first must hold; if neither attribute holds, the other attribute is irrelevant.

What is the exemplar theory of categorization? How does it differ from the prototype theory?

· Exemplar: uses specific examples of category members. Compare newer object to each category and put it in the one with more similarities. Comparing to specific examples. Prototype: You encounter a number of things/examples and blend them all together into a running average/category, which is called the prototype. Prototype theory suggests that a new stimulus is compared to a single prototype in a category, while exemplar theory suggests that a new stimulus is compared to multiple known exemplars in a category.

How do the link, keyword, and method of loci systems of mnemonic strategies differ? Be sure to describe the procedures/steps involved in these 3 different strategies.

· Link System: Good for learning things serially (in order). You form a visual image for each item in the list you are trying to remember. Then you associate the images together and interact. · Keyword System: Use for foreign languages. You take the foreign word and find an English word that sounds just like it. The images of the English word will help you remember the word and what it means · Loci System: Uses places or locations to help you remember things. First you have to access a familiar location, something you know well. Your home is a typical one. Then you image each thing you are trying to remember and attach it hopefully interactively to something in the location you are using. Look at things in the location to remember a grocery list for example.

Give three reasons why the basic level of categorization is the most important of the levels. Be sure to be precise and complete in your wording.

· Most useful & important in language. 2. Seems to be our base (or fundamental) level of perception. 3. Seems to be culturally universal

Describe the prototype theory of categorization. Be sure to explain the idea/notion underlying it, cite 2 pieces of research evidence supporting it, and point out 1 limitation/problem.

· Prototype: You encounter a number of things/examples and blend them all together into a running average/category, which is called the prototype. Research evidence: Sentence verification and picture identification (Rosch et al). Limitation/problem: People store information about and are sensitive to variability.

In sentence verification studies (e.g., True or false? A robin is a bird?), researchers have revealed four general/summary findings. List and describe 3 of those 4 findings.

· Responses are faster (on average) for true than false sentences. 2. Responses are faster (on average) for familiar than unfamiliar categories. 3. Response speed varies from item to item within a category. E.g., "A penguin is a bird." Vs. "A robin is a bird."

Describe the notion of a schema. How is a script related to a schema?

· Schema: A generic knowledge structure or complex categorical pattern that guides our thinking by providing expectations of what should occur. Script-common kind of schema; a sequence of events associated with a highly familiar activity. Ex: restaurant script.

Describe the Feature Comparison model of semantic LTM. Be sure to describe how it works and how it differs from the Hierarchical Network model. Then state one good thing (e.g., a finding it accounts for) and one bad thing (e.g., one problem it has or one finding it does not account for) about the model.

· Seeks to account for classification times in somewhat the same way that the prototype model accounts for classifications. This model assumes that the meaning of words can be represented in memory by a list of features and that classifications are made by comparing features rather than by examining link in a network. Advantage: Unlike the network model, it can account for the reversal if the category-size effect. Disadvantage: It relies on similarity ratings to make most of its predictions.

Describe the notion of a semantic network (i.e., the parts and how they work) and explain what spreading activation is and how it operates in a semantic network.

· Semantic network: theoretical system typically represented by diagrams that shows concepts and their semantic relationships to other concepts o Nodes: circle is a node and represents a concept o Links: the lines between those circles; shows the relationships between 2 concepts. A line between a robin and a bird circle § Isa link: a robin is a bird § Property link: a bird has feathers · Spreading Activation: the major process that operates in your semantic network. The mental activity of accessing and retrieving information from that network. § Concepts are in a relatively activated state. -The nodes are closer if they are more semantically related -Lines vary in length based on semantic relatedness

Distinguish between and describe the characteristics of the superordinate, basic, and subordinate levels of categorization. Give an example of a categorical hierarchy (with levels appropriately labeled) to illustrate these differences.

· Superordinate-largest; at the top; most general; each superordinate category contains basic level and subordinate categories. Basic level-intermediate level, in middle between superordinate and subordinate; each basic level category contains a variety of subordinate categories; the most important level. Subordinate-smallest in terms of numbers of objects; at the bottom; most specific in terms of what they share. Clothing (superordinate) diagram he drew on board with all the categories under it. Basic was coats, shirts, pants, etc. Subordinate was t-shirt, long sleeve, jeans, tennis shoes, etc.

Distinguish between technical and content accuracy in memory research. Which is more important?

· Technical Accuracy: Details, exactly how they're presented, of what you experienced. Content Accuracy: People recalling or recognizing the meaning or the context or the "gist" of what was experienced. Which is more important? Depends on the situation. The memory situation and the demands of the task