Chapter Four

Question 1

Articulatory Suppression

Answer 1

a task designed to prevent the rehearsal of information in the subvocal rehearsal mechanism of the articulatory loop

Question 2

Attention Training

Answer 2

attempts to explicitly train immediate memory mechanisms via repetitive trials of tasks that are meant to “exercise” the brain’s ability to focus and manipulate attention

Question 3

Brown-Peterson Task

Answer 3

a sequence of letters is encoded, followed by a distraction task of counting backward, followed by recall of the letter sequence

Question 4

Central Executive

Answer 4

a limited-capacity control mechanism for working memory that is responsible for the higherlevel thought processes involved in planning, reasoning, and language comprehension

Question 5

Chunking (Recording)

Answer 5

regrouping items in short-term memory

Question 6

Decay

Answer 6

the loss of information from memory with the passage of time

Question 7

Episodic Buffer

Answer 7

a subcomponent of working memory that is responsible for integrating information processed by the articulatory loop and the visuo-spatial sketchpad, as well as relevant information from longterm memory

Question 8

Embedded Process View

Answer 8

the view that immediate memory represents the momentary and temporary activation of information in long-term memory

Question 9

Executive Attention

Answer 9

function of immediate memory whereby we control the allocation of attention

Question 10

Executive Control

Answer 10

characteristic of attention that allows for the selective (but capacity-limited) control of attention

Question 11

Iconic Memory

Answer 11

extremely brief (<500 milliseconds) and rapidly decaying representation of a just-presented visual stimulus

Question 12

Interference

Answer 12

when information currently in memory is negatively influenced by the presentation of other information

Question 13

Immediate Memory

Answer 13

he active processing and manipulation of information in consciousness

Question 14

Ironic Process of Controll Theory

Answer 14

proposes that the processes that we use to avoid distractions of disruptive thoughts have the effect of producing those very thoughts

Question 15

Irrelevant Speech Effect

Answer 15

a spoken stimulus presented (even if irrelevant and “ignored”) during the processing of information, has the potential to disrupt memory for that information

Question 16

Long Term Memory

Answer 16

the representations of experiences, knowledge, and skills that we have accumulated throughout our lifetimes

Question 17

Magical number 7+/-2

Answer 17

the number of items we can hold in short-term memory

Question 18

Memory Span

Answer 18

the capacity of short-term memory; the longest string of information a person can immediately recall

Question 19

Multiple Systems Views

Answer 19

theoretical approaches that argue for a distinction between long-term memory and immediate memory structures and mechanisms

Question 20

Mindfulness Meditation

Answer 20

an acute awareness of the present moment, including one’s present thoughts, emotions, and actions

Question 21

Mind-Wandering

Answer 21

the subjective experience of and set of processes whereby our consciousness drifts away from the task at the focus of attention

Question 22

Modal Model

Answer 22

the information-processing view of memory that postulates a series of chronologically arranged stages through which incoming information passes (sensory memory, shot-term memory, and longterm memory)

Question 23

Phonological loop

Answer 23

Subsystem of the working memory model whereby we recycle information through articulation

Question 24

Phonological similarity effect

Answer 24

the finding that lists of similar-sounding items are more difficult to keep track of in short-term memory than are lists of different sounding items

Question 25

Phonological store

Answer 25

component of Baddeley’s working memory model; holds information temporarily and as such represents the time-limited nature of immediate memory

Question 26

Primacy Effect

Answer 26

tendency to remember the earliest items in a presented list especially well

Question 27

Proactive Interference

Answer 27

occurs when earlier information interferes with the ability to retain information that comes later

Question 28

Recency Effect

Answer 28

tendency to remember the latest items in a presented list especially well

Question 29

Released from Proactive Interference

Answer 29

the release from the cumulative effects of proactive interference when there is a change in the nature of the stimuli being encoded

Question 30

Retention Interval

Answer 30

the amount of time between encoding and retrieval

Question 31

Retroactive Interference

Answer 31

occurs when later information interferes with the ability to retain information that came earlier

Question 32

Self-Regulation

Answer 32

the ability to delay immediate gratification and wait for a larger reward

Question 33

Sensory Memory

Answer 33

proposed by the modal model of memory; an extremely brief representation of a justpresented stimulus

Question 34

Serial Position Effect

Answer 34

memory for items as a function of list position; especially good memory for the earliest and latest items on a presented list

Question 35

Short-Term Memory

Answer 35

the set of processes that we use to hold and rehearse information that occupies our current awareness

Question 36

Subvocal Rehearsal Mechanism

Answer 36

component of Baddeley’s working memory model; allows for the repetition of information being held in the phonological loop

Question 37

Unitary View of Memory

Answer 37

the view that short-term memory is not a separate memory system; rather, it is simply the currently activated portion of long-term memory

Question 38

Visual Presistence

Answer 38

the continuation of the neural response to a visually presented stimulus after its removal; experienced as a fading icon or image

Question 39

Visuo-spatial sketchpad

Answer 39

a subsystem of working memory that allows for the processing of spatial information and manipulation of visual images

Question 40

Word-length effect

Answer 40

the finding that short-term memory span is negatively related to the length of encoded items

Question 41

Working Memory Model

Answer 41

the processes involved in examining, considering, manipulating, and responding to internal and external events