memory

Question 1

process of forgetting

Answer 1

memories disappear? or are they still there we just cant retrieve them?

evidence of “still there” (Nelson)
paired associate list
- word and number associations (67-house; 43-dog)
- subjects recalled 75% of items on the list
- out of the 25% that was forgot, if participants relearned the same association, versus one change, they were 78% more likely to remember
EX: 38-dress, 77-scissors relearned versus 38-apple, 77-kettle

Question 2

what contributes to forgetting

Answer 2

serial position effect
- we remember first/last items better (primacy and recency)

decay theory
- memory is weakened with disuse
- hard to test ; preventing participants from rehearsal is hard

Question 3

intrusions and distortions examples

Answer 3

car crash - asking participants how fast the car was going when they hit the other car vs when they smashed the other car
- participants recorded lower speeds when they were asked with less graphic words

Question 4

false memories
2 examples:
- associated words
- narratives

Answer 4

Loftus
1. when presented with a list of associated words, but missing one target word (ex: tired, bed, night, dream but not sleep), participants tend to recall the non-presented item
- when asked if they remember or know the word, they report an actual memory for the item

2. gave participants 4 narratives, all were true except 1 (lost in the mall); 25% reported remembering the false event

Question 5

Recovered and Repressed memories

Answer 5

recovered memories must first be repressed, or else they are just false memories

are repressed memories valid?

Question 6

flashbulb memories

Answer 6

events that are particularly surprising or arousing
ex: 9/11

• typically good memory for where we were, what we were doing

evidence:
- Neisser tested immediate, and 3 year later memory for Shuttle explosion
- participants were confident in their memories, but there was little agreement with the two

Question 7

emotion and memory

Answer 7

• there is a strong relationship between the emotionality and vividness of memory
• emotional events are elss resistent to forgetting over time, but this does not mean we remember them better