Everyday Memory

Question 1

What is autobiographical memory?

Answer 1

memories of personally significant events
both episodic and semantic e.g knowing details about your birth through recollection of others

Question 2

What is the difference between autobiographical and episodic memories?

Answer 2

AM is specifically organised info about ones life, serves a specific function and long lasting
EM are simpler, short lasting and fewer brain areas activated

Question 3

What are the 4 main roles / functions of Autobiographical memories?

Answer 3

• self function (retain identity)
• social function (enhance social relationships through shared memories)
• directive function (past memories help guide decisions in future)
• self-enhancement (positive memories for positive self view)

Question 4

How are autobiographical memories measured?

Answer 4

measured using thinking about life experiences scale (TALE)

Question 5

What are flashbulb memories?

Answer 5

vivid and detailed memories of dramatic events

Question 6

Brown and Kulik (1977): flashbulb memories

Answer 6

they include info about:
- informat (where news was heard)
- ongoing activity (emotional state)
- consequences for individual
- long lasting memories

Question 7

What is infantile (childhood) aphasia?

Answer 7

where ppts report very few autobiographical memories before age of 3

Question 8

What is the reminiscence bump?

Answer 8

many memories reported between ages 10 and 30

Question 9

Freud: explanation for infantile aphasia

Answer 9

repression

Question 10

Howe and Courage: explanation for infantile aphasia

Answer 10

cognitive self not developed
there’s no memories before concept of self has developed

Question 11

The self Memory System model explains 3 levels of specificity for AM memories…

Answer 11

• lifetime periods
• general events
  -event specific knowledge

Question 12

What are the 2 ways in which Autobiographical memories are retrieved?

Answer 12

through:
- generative retrieval (deliberate constructed memories)
- direct retrieval (spontaneous memories triggered by external cues)

Question 13

Inman’s 2 stages of generative retrieval?

Answer 13

• search and access
• elaborative processing

Question 14

What are 2 factors that affect encoding?

Answer 14

• time (more time you have to observe fact better the encoding)
• attention (may only encode parts of events)

Question 15

What 2 factors affect retrieval?

Answer 15

• cues (influence recall)
• interference

Question 16

What are some factors that affect EWT?

Answer 16

Arousal and stress
Weapon focus
age of witness
misinformation effect

Question 17

What is weapon focus effect?

Answer 17

stress and anxiety can narrow focus of attention onto object in crime scene

Question 18

Findings of age of witness on EWT?

Answer 18

children over 4 are as accurate as adults when target is in line up

Question 19

What is an example of a study showing the misinformation effect?

Answer 19

Loftus and Palmer study
ppts changed estimate of speed of car depending on what verb that were given in question

Question 20

On average, what gender is better at face recognition in EWT?

Answer 20

females

Question 21

what are 3 types of police line ups?

Answer 21

single blind line up
double blind line up
fair line up

Question 22

Gieselman and Fisher: cognitive interview

Answer 22

• mental reinstatement of environment
• reporting all detail
• change order of questions
• change perspective

Question 23

Colomb and Ginet: evaluation of Cognitive interview

Answer 23

changing order and point of view is ineffective as it disturbs temporal organisation