Lecture 1 - Introduction to Language and Memory

Question 1

What is cognitive psychology?

Answer 1

Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of how people think and process information, including attention, decision-making, language and memory

Question 2

Why is studying language important?

Answer 2

• Language is unique to humans/makes us human: complex and powerful
• Language is essential for social interaction, cooperation, sharing abstract ideas, science, and culture

Question 3

What are the key questions in language research?

Answer 3

• How do we develop language?
• How can we communicate effectively?
• How do we acquire concepts/categories?
• How can we support communication difficulties?

Question 4

Why is studying memory important?

Answer 4

• Memory all knowledge and skills (e.g., riding a bike)
• Memory shapes our identity and self
• Memory enables communication and following instructions

Question 5

What are the key questions in memory research?

Answer 5

• What helps us remember?
• How do we (or fail to) do mental arithmetic?
• Why do we forget?
• How does memory dysfunction affect people?

Question 6

What is the effect of language structure on working memory?

Answer 6

• Right-branching (RB) languages (e.g. Italian): Head of the sentence comes first, information is processed incrementally
• Left-branching (LB) languages (e.g. Japanese): Modifiers come first, more ambiguity, requires storing information longer

Question 7

What did Amici et al. (2019) find about branching language types?

Answer 7

Left-branching (LB) speakers performed better on memory tasks involving initial information. Sentence structure may train working memory differently across languages

Question 8

What did Roediger and Karpicke (2006) find about testing vs. studying?

Answer 8

• Repeated testing improves long-term recall more than repeated studying
• Recall was 50% higher in repeated test condition
• Testing is more effective but feels harder, leading to poor metacognitive awareness

Question 9

Why do students prefer studying to testing?

Answer 9

• Studying gives short-term gains
• Testing feels harder and is less appealing
• Students overestimate recall from studying and underestimate benefits of testing

Question 10

What is the Generation Effect

Answer 10

• Learning is stronger when you actively generate information rather than passively read it
• Encourages deeper cognitive processing

Question 11

What did Slamecka & Graf (1978) find about the generation effect?

Answer 11

• Participants recalled more when generating information than when reading it
• Active production led to stronger memory across trials