Cog 6-10

Question 1

Three Frameworks in Cognitive Psychology

Answer 1

1950s-80s: INFORMATION PROCESSING: we need to break down, reflect how people process information

1980s-now: CONNECTIONIST FRAMEWORK: the mind is a network of inter-connected processing units

1990s-now: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE: many cognitive functions can be localised to particular neural regions

Question 2

What are the 4 methods for testing cognitive processes?

Answer 2

Experimental Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive Neuropsychology

Computational Modelling

Cognitive Neuroscience

Question 3

Limitations of Atkinson & Shriffrin’s Multi-store Model of memory

Answer 3

Processing is not entirely ‘bottom-up’; memory as a function of type of processing, not where it is stored; can use chunking

Question 4

What is the working memory?

Answer 4

The system in which incoming information is processed and integrated with existing declarative and procedural memories (central executive)

Rather than a passive short-term store, working memory consists of multiple specialist components: central executive, phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad

Question 5

Positives of Baddeley’s Working Memory Model

Answer 5

Highly influential and heuristically useful for ‘diagnosing’ source of memory problems

Question 6

Limitations of Baddeley’s Working Memory Model

Answer 6

“Slave” systems may reflect task-specific strategies

Episodic buffer blurs distinctions between working memory and long term memory

Question 7

Are those with low or high working memory more vulnerable to ‘seductive details’ effect?

Answer 7

People with higher working memory are better at ignoring those high seductive images, whereas those with low are more distracted by seductive images meaning they don’t focus on the text as well

Question 8

Are those with higher in working memory less vulnerable to mind wandering and able to better sustain their attention in more demanding and challenging tasks?

Answer 8

YES

Question 9

What does a valid measure of the role of working memory capacity in real world tasks need to assess simultaneous?

Answer 9

BOTH storage and processing

Question 10

What is prospective memory?

Answer 10

A form of memory that involves remembering to perform a planned action or intention at some future point in time; future memory; involves retrieving information form LTM (the intention and then the intended action)

Question 11

What is retrospective memory?

Answer 11

Refers to memory of people, words and events encountered or experienced in the past

Question 12

Three theories of prospective memory

Answer 12

Preparatory attention and memory processes (PAM)

Multi-process theory

Dynamic multi-process framework

Question 13

Tips for improving prospective memory

Answer 13

Overcoming interruptions: form explicit intention to resume task after interruption

Place distinctive reminder cues where they will be seen at the appropriate time

Question 14

Two subtypes of explicit (declarative) memory

Answer 14

Episodic memory (one’s own experiences)

Semantic memory (facts, general knowledge)

Question 15

Is explicit memory conscious or unconscious?

Answer 15

Conscious

Question 16

Is implicit memory conscious or unconscious?

Answer 16

Unconscious

Question 17

What happens to both explicit and implicit memory of those with amnesia?

Answer 17

Amnesics show impaired explicit memory but preserved implicit memory.

They can acquire new procedural skills.

Question 18

Evidence that explicit and implicit memory rely on different memory systems

Answer 18

Amnesia: affects explicit but not implicit memory performance

Depth of processing at encoding: explicit memory better following deeper encoding & implicit memory better are shallow processing

Question 19

Are explicit and implicit memory different memory systems? And why?

Answer 19

They are NOT different memory systems

Explicit and implicit memory tasks involve different memory retrieval processes: recollection vs familiarity

Question 20

What is semantic dementia

Answer 20

Hierarchical loss of information; general knowledge is lost

Question 21

Comparison of Alzheimer’s and Semantic Dementia

Answer 21

Performance in semantic tasks more impaired in semantic dementia than Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease associated with impairments in episodic memory.

Question 22

What is Parallel Distributed Processing (PDP) models?

Answer 22

Networks that are based on gradual learning of ‘semantic memory’

Connected by sets of interconnected nodes that activate other nodes; the models are computer programs that are meant to stimulate how neurons fire and fire onto the next associated networks.

Question 23

Fundamental assumptions of PDP models of memory

Answer 23

Knowledge is distributed through the system rather than localised in a single node

Knowledge is learned gradually adjusting connection weights until the network can reproduce the correct output for all trained inputs (learning must be gradual)

No clear distinction between structure and processes

Question 24

Advantages of PRP

Answer 24

Spontaneous generalisation (e.g. category learning)

Graceful degradation (e.g. semantic dementia)

Question 25

What PDP models cannot do?

Answer 25

Learn exceptions (e.g. a penguin and bat from a bird)

One-trial learning (e.g. modality, representation)