Lecture 5

Question 1

Autobiographical memory

Answer 1

Memory across lifespan for both specific events and self related info
-a function of memory (rather than a system)
—how we represent our individual lives in memory

Question 2

Conway theory

Answer 2

Concerns representation of autobiographical memory
-representation corresponds to
a. Event specific memories
b. General events
c. Lifetime periods
-these levels create interacting, hierarchy structure in our memory
-Specific events -> organized into general events-> organized into cohesive units (liftetime periods)

Question 3

Trace theory of memory

Answer 3

Belief that memory is like a video recording that can be preserved, unchanged, and replayed over and over
-replaying a memory is like reliving/re-experiencing and event

Question 4

Reappearance hypothesis

Answer 4

Memory can appear again and again, unchanged
-like a tape recorder
-rejected by Neisser 1967

Question 5

Flashbulb memories

Answer 5

Vivid, detailed memories of significant events
-people are able to report a lot of detail about
—where they were
—who told them
—their emotional reaction

Question 6

Now print theory

Answer 6

Whole episode was snap shot and I printed in memory as such
-experiences that exceed critical levels of surprisingness and consequentiality
—Implicates that these memories will be accurate

Question 7

Accuracy or flashbulb memories

Answer 7

-subject to same distortions and inaccuracies as normal memories
-but the confidence with which with which we assert these memories is their hallmark
—they are not necess more accurate

Question 8

Ordinary mechanism approach

Answer 8

Flashbulb memories are normal memories but if emotionally shared events
-therefore, normal encoding and retrieving mechanism are still used
—inconsistencies show that peoples later recall is schema consistent

Question 9

Consolidation theory

Answer 9

Memory traces of an event are not fully formed immediately after an event (take time)
—interruption of consolidation yields inability to recall
—mental inactivity should increase consolidation (sleep on it)

Question 10

Retroactive interference

Answer 10

Consolidation could be disrupted by events that occur after the event that is to be remembered

Question 11

Proactive interference

Answer 11

Older info interferes with the ability to remember or learn new info

Question 12

Forgetting

Answer 12

-a crucial process
-access to previous info needs to be prioritized so that most relevant info is retrieved
—may be adaptive to lose some info/ blend together info from different episodes

Question 13

Highly superior autobiographical memory (HSAM)

Answer 13

-some people exhibit extraordinary memory for autobiographical events over many years
—may be due to superior functional communication between prefrontal cortex and hippocampus (santangelo 2018)

Question 14

Reconsolidation

Answer 14

a memory trace is revised upon deactivation due to coming into contact with other experiences

Question 15

Schema theory of memory (Bartlett 1932)

Answer 15

1. Method of repeated reproduction
   -participants read material and reproduce 15 minutes later, and at longer subsequent intervals
2. Method of serial reproduction
   -participants read material given something to read, recalls, and gives recollection to second participant (and then 3rd, and so on)
   —both methods yielded similar results, but most dramatic with serial (rationalization—participants try to make memory as coherent principles)
   Conclusion: memory is an imaginative reconstruction

Question 16

Schema

Answer 16

Active mass of organized past reactions that provides a setting that guides out behavior
-4 processes:
1. Selection
-selecting content that fit with current interests
2. Abstraction
-converting info in more abstract form (ex. Gist)
3. Interpretation
-interpreting info using existing info
4. Integration
-integration info so that it is consistent with schema

Question 17

Misinformation effect

Answer 17

Misleading post event info can become integrated with the original memory of the event

Question 18

Source monitoring errors

Answer 18

Occur when we remember info but are mistaken About the specific episode that the memory is a source of

Question 19

False memories

Answer 19

-possible to plant false memories
-likely to occur when prompted to imagine missing details
-children are heavily influenced by suggestion
-eyewitness testimonies
-eyewitness testimonies

Question 20

Levels of processing

Answer 20

Craik & Lockhart 1970s
-more meaning based handling of info leads to better encoding

Question 21

Shallow processing

Answer 21

Maintenance rehearsal or processing sensory characteristics
-visual shallow: does the word have capital letters?

Question 22

Deep processing

Answer 22

Elaborative and meaningful
-meaningful deep: does it fit within the following sentence?

Question 23

Morris et al (1977)

Answer 23

2 phases
1. Encoding phase
-meaning and rhyming condition
2. Retrieval phase
- standard recognition test and rhyming recognition test
Results:
-Meaning task > rhyming test: 33%
-rhyming task > rhyming test: 49%
Conclusion: deeper processing does not always result in better retrieval
—matching the encoding and retrieval tasks results in better retrieval

Question 24

Transfer appropriate processing effect

Answer 24

Memory will be best when the way in which info is processed at encoding matched the way it is processed at retrieval

Question 25

Encoding specificity effect

Answer 25

-We use info present in our current environment (retrieval cues) to trigger memories of past events
—the presence of the right retrieval cues activates a particular memkry

Question 26

Closeness in context

Answer 26

-retrieval is more likely to be successful if conditions at recall are similar to those at encoding
—conditions can be external (contexts) or internal (emotional states)