P2 Working Memory

Question 1

A chunk is

Answer 1

A chunk is the basic unit of short-term memory (an item)

Question 2

Working memory is limited to _____

Answer 2

WM is limited to 7 items (+/-2)

Question 3

The Serial Position Effect refers to ____

Answer 3

The S.P effect refers to the U-shaped relationship between the position of the word and the likelihood that it is recalled

Question 4

Primacy effect is ___

Answer 4

Primacy effect is a bette recall for items at the beginning

Question 5

Recency effect is ___

Answer 5

Recency effect is a better recall for items at the end

Question 6

What is the cause of the primacy effect?

Answer 6

The information does not have to compete with earlier items and it is repeated more often

Question 7

What is the cause of the recency effect?

Answer 7

They are still in the working memory at the time of recall

Question 8

Proactive interference (PI) is when ____

Answer 8

PI is when people have difficulty learning new material when previously learned material interferes with the new material

Question 9

What are the four components of working memory?

Answer 9

1. Phonological loop
2. Visuo-spatial sketchpad
3. Central executive
4. Episodic buffer

Question 10

The phonological loop ___

Answer 10

The phonological loop processes information about speech and temporarily stores it in a phonological form

Question 11

What are the two components of the Phonological loop?

Answer 11

1. Phonological store = it passively stores speech perception for a few seconds
2. Articulatory process = an inner repetition of words that prevents us form forgetting it

Question 12

Phonological Similarity Effect is ___

Answer 12

Phonological Similarity Effect is the reduced ability for immediate serial recall when words are phonologically similar

Question 13

Word-length effect is ___

Answer 13

Word-length effect is the phenomenon that a series of short words is easier to remember than a series of long words

Question 14

What are the two possible causes for the Word-length Effect?

Answer 14

1. Repetition, since the effect is eliminated when participants are not allowed to repeat aloud
2. Effect could not exist, since it may be about small difference with neighboring words rather than word length

Question 15

The Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad ___

Answer 15

The Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad specializes is spatial and visual processing and temporary storage

Question 16

What are the two components of the Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad?

Answer 16

1. Visual cache = stores information about visual shape and color
2. Inner scribe = stores information about space and movements

Question 17

Areas in the ____ and _____ were activated during visual processing

Answer 17

Areas in the occipital lobe and temporal lobe were activated during visual processing

Question 18

Areas in the ___ were activated during spatial processing

Answer 18

Areas in the parietal lobe were activated during spatial processing

Question 19

The Central Executive is ____

Answer 19

The Central Executive is the main component of working memory, it organizes the other three components

Question 20

What are the four Executive Processes?

Answer 20

1. Focused attention/concentration
2. Dividing attention between two stimuli
3. Switching attention between tasks
4. Connecting to long-term memory

Question 21

What are the three Executive functions?

Answer 21

1. Inhibition function = used to ignore dominant responses and resist distraction
2. Shifting function = used to shift between tasks or mental sets
3. Updating function = used to monitor the contents of the working memory and to add/remove items

Question 22

Dysexecutive syndrome is ___

Answer 22

Dysexecutive syndrome is a condition in which damage to the frontal lobes causes disturbances in the central executive

Question 23

What are the Executive Processes according to Struss & Alexander?

Answer 23

1. Task setting (planning)
2. Monitoring (if performance is adequate)
3. Energization (sustained attention/concentration)

Argued 4th. Metacognition

Question 24

The Episodic buffer ____

Answer 24

The Episodic buffer provides temporary storage for integrated information from the Visuo-spatial sketchpad and the Phonological loop

Question 25

What are the two core consumptions of the working-memory? (not episodic buffer)

Answer 25

1. If two tasks use the same components, they cannot be performed successfully at the same time
2. If two tasks use different component, they can be successfully performed simultaneously

Question 26

What is the main limitation of the Short-Term Storage Model? (WM)

Answer 26

It is too simplified (no touch, taste, smell etc.)

Question 27

What is the hypothesis of Barrouillet’s Simple Spans WM article?

Answer 27

The capacity of verbal working memory is 8 units instead of the previously thought 4