AP Psychology: Memory 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What is the Atkinson-Shiffrin model of memory?

A three-stage model: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory (Correct answer)
A single-store model where all memories are processed equally
A model that describes only visual memory
A theory that memory is unlimited in capacity

Correct answer: A three-stage model: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory

The Atkinson-Shiffrin model proposes that information flows through three distinct stages of memory with different capacities and durations.

The Atkinson-Shiffrin model (1968) describes memory as flowing through three stages. Sensory memory briefly holds raw sensory input (iconic for visual, echoic for auditory) for fractions of a second. Attended information moves to short-term memory (STM), which holds about 7 items for 20-30 seconds. Through rehearsal and encoding, information transfers to long-term memory (LTM), which has potentially unlimited capacity and duration. While influential, the model has been supplemented by Baddeley's working memory model.

Question 2: What is the misinformation effect discovered by Elizabeth Loftus?

Post-event information can alter a person's memory of the original event (Correct answer)
People cannot remember events accurately under any circumstances
Leading questions have no effect on memory recall
Only children are susceptible to false memories

Correct answer: Post-event information can alter a person's memory of the original event

Loftus demonstrated that misleading information presented after an event can distort a person's memory of what actually happened.

Elizabeth Loftus's research on the misinformation effect showed that memories are reconstructive and malleable. In her classic study, participants who watched a car accident video and were asked 'How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?' reported higher speeds and were more likely to falsely remember broken glass than those asked about cars 'hitting' each other. This research has profound implications for eyewitness testimony and legal proceedings.

Question 3: What is the difference between explicit and implicit memory?

Explicit memory requires conscious recall; implicit memory operates without conscious awareness (Correct answer)
Explicit memory is permanent; implicit memory is temporary
Explicit memory stores facts; implicit memory stores emotions only
There is no meaningful difference

Correct answer: Explicit memory requires conscious recall; implicit memory operates without conscious awareness

Explicit (declarative) memory involves conscious recollection of facts and events, while implicit (non-declarative) memory influences behavior without conscious awareness.

Explicit (declarative) memory involves conscious recollection and includes episodic memory (personal experiences) and semantic memory (general knowledge). Implicit (non-declarative) memory operates unconsciously and includes procedural memory (skills like riding a bicycle), priming effects, and classical conditioning. Patient H.M. demonstrated this distinction clearly: after hippocampal removal, he could not form new explicit memories but could still learn new motor skills, proving these are separate systems.

Question 4: What is proactive interference?

Previously learned information disrupts the recall of newly learned information (Correct answer)
New information disrupts recall of previously learned information
Information is lost due to decay over time
Memories are permanently erased by new learning

Correct answer: Previously learned information disrupts the recall of newly learned information

Proactive interference occurs when old memories make it harder to remember new information.

Proactive interference occurs when previously learned information interferes with the ability to remember new information. For example, if you learn French and then study Spanish, your French knowledge may interfere with remembering Spanish vocabulary. This contrasts with retroactive interference, where new learning disrupts recall of old information. Both types demonstrate that forgetting is often caused by competition between memories rather than simple decay of memory traces.

Question 5: What is long-term potentiation (LTP)?

A lasting increase in synaptic strength following repeated stimulation (Correct answer)
The permanent loss of neural connections
A temporary increase in neurotransmitter release
The weakening of unused neural pathways

Correct answer: A lasting increase in synaptic strength following repeated stimulation

LTP is a persistent strengthening of synaptic connections that is believed to be a key mechanism underlying learning and memory.

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a persistent strengthening of synaptic transmission following high-frequency stimulation of a synapse. Discovered in the hippocampus, LTP is considered a primary cellular mechanism for learning and memory. It embodies Hebb's principle: 'neurons that fire together wire together.' LTP involves increased neurotransmitter release, growth of new receptor sites, and structural changes in dendritic spines. It can last hours to weeks and is critical for memory consolidation.

Question 6: What is the method of loci mnemonic technique?

Associating items to be remembered with specific locations along a familiar route (Correct answer)
Repeating information aloud multiple times
Creating acronyms from the first letters of items
Organizing information into hierarchical categories

Correct answer: Associating items to be remembered with specific locations along a familiar route

The method of loci involves mentally placing items along a familiar path and retrieving them by mentally walking through the route.

The method of loci (memory palace) is an ancient mnemonic strategy dating to Greek and Roman orators. Users mentally associate items to be remembered with specific locations along a well-known route (e.g., rooms in their house). During recall, they mentally 'walk' through the route, retrieving each item from its location. This technique leverages the brain's strong spatial memory systems and has been shown to dramatically improve recall. Memory championship competitors frequently use this technique.

AP Psychology: Memory 2

What is the Atkinson-Shiffrin model of memory?