Memory and cognition

Question 1

What is the Computer metaphor?

Answer 1

People might be like computers:
Brain = Harddisk
Mind = Software

Question 2

What is Mental Cronometry? (Speed of thoughts)

Answer 2

A method of measuring the speed and organization of mental processes. (ex. how long time does it take for you to decide whether its a circle or a triangle?)

Question 3

What is the ‘Letter Task’?

Answer 3

How long does it take to retrieve the name of the letter ‘a’ from memory?

Question 4

What is early selection?

Answer 4

Can focus attention on a single source ignoring the other sources
(The coctail party effect)

Question 5

What is late selection?

Answer 5

Highly salient (important) information such as your name captures your attention.
(The coctail party effect)

Question 6

Name the two types of attention

Answer 6

Endogenous: Controlled (internal) attention
Mindful breathing, Deliberately listening to a person, Looking for your keys….

+Exogenous: Captured attention “Diana”, “Oh look shiny things!” and “Free money!”

Question 7

What is controlled responses?

Answer 7

+New skills:

• Learning to ride a bike
• learning to remeber exam questions
• Talking in a loud room
• Solving mathematical problems

Question 8

What is Automatic responses?

Answer 8

+Writing your signature
+Changing gear
+Run with the dog

Question 9

Name the three types of memory

Answer 9

+EPISODIC: something you ‘remember’:
A bus crash in Vietnam – The first time I saw snow in Japan

+SEMANTIC – something you ‘know’: +Tokyo is the capital of Japan

+PROCEDURAL – something you ‘do’: +How to ask for the bill in Japanese

Question 10

Describe Attkinson & Shiffrins model of cognition

Answer 10

Sensory system –> Short term memory –> Long term memory

Question 11

What is Iconic Memory?

Answer 11

Very short memory (less than one sec)

Question 12

What is serial position curves

Answer 12

The first words and the last words is always more rememberd:

PRIMACYWORDS: The first
RECENCY: The last

Question 13

What is working memory?

Answer 13

Short term memory: Three components
1) The phonological loop
Rehearses sounds
2) The visuo/spatial scratch pad
Provides a place to jot down 3d pictures
3.	The central executive
Makes decisions

Question 14

Explain the structure of long term memory

Answer 14

Longterm memory: Procedual memory or declarative memory –> Semantic or episodic

Question 15

What is Declarative memory?

Answer 15

\+Declarable memories:
-- Episodic memory = personal events
-- Semantic memory = facts
\+You can describe these memories in words
\+They are available to consciousness

Question 16

What is Procedual memory?

Answer 16

+ I couldn’t describe exactly how to write my signature (I could show you)

Question 17

Depth of processing

Answer 17

Three levels of processing:

1) Sight
2) Sound
3) Sematic

Question 18

What does elaboration means?

Answer 18

Split a word en smaller meaning to remember:

+Prof Belkowski = Prof Bel-cow-ski

Question 19

What is visual imagery?

Answer 19

Putting pictures in your memory.

Ex: use a room and place you learning different places in the room to remember.

Question 20

What is organization?

Answer 20

To put different words in categories to remember easier.

Question 21

What is Extrinsic context?

Answer 21

Memory is better if you are in the same context as when you learned it.

Question 22

What is Implicit memory?

Answer 22

Priming = implicit memory / skill / procedural memory. When you have made up a memory from before and therefore is more likely activate a response

Question 23

What does Vividness heuristic means?

Answer 23

“rule of thumb”