Test Bank for Human Memory, 4e Gabriel Radvansky
Chapter 1: Overview and History
1. A relatively permanent record of an experience is the essence of __________.
a) behavioral potential
b) learning
c) memory *
d) performance
2. Which is not a way that the term “memory” is used by psychologists?
a) as a unit of analysis *
b) as a storage mechanism
c) as a process
d) as a record
3. Memory is __________.
a) a storage facility
b) the result of experience
c) a process
d) all of the above *
4. Which is NOT a way that the term memory is used?
a) an item that holds the contents of previous experiences
b) a location where information is kept
c) mental processes involved in acquiring, storing, or retrieving information
d) a perfect replication of events *
5. Which of the following is NOT an aspect of learning?
a) behavior potential
b) maturation *
c) relative permanence
d) experience
6. Learning is __________.
a) a relatively permanent change in behavior potential
b) a process
c) the result of experience
d) all of the above *
7. What is a good definition of learning?
a) a change in the potential to alter behavior as a consequence of experience *
b) putting information in the memory store
c) retaining contents of experience
d) the mental process used to acquire, store, or retrieve information
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,8. An engram is to memory as __________.
a) a keyboard is to a computer
b) a mouse is to a computer
c) a file is to a computer *
d) a central processing unit is to a computer
9. Why are there so many metaphors for memory?
a) because memory cannot be studied objectively
b) to demonstrate that all of our memories are different
c) because we cannot observe memory directly *
d) because people’s attitudes and opinions change so much over time
10. Metaphors for memory (like a recorder or organized storage) are used because __________.
a) the uncomplicated nature of memory makes metaphors easy to find
b) memory must be observed indirectly, so metaphors are useful tools for understanding
its complexities *
c) you can exercise your memory like a muscle, so creating new metaphors makes your
memory more efficient
d) using language as a mental representation prevents memory loss
11. Which metaphor captures the idea that there is an organization to memory?
a) cow’s stomach
b) lock and key
c) video camera
d) network *
12. Which metaphor captures the idea that information in memory can be forgotten?
a) leaky bucket *
b) computer
c) junk drawer
d) library
13. Which metaphor of memory conveys the idea that memories are discrete collections of
information?
a) hidden observer
b) computer
c) literacy *
d) aviary
14. One contribution of Plato’s philosophy to work on memory was the idea that __________.
a) different impressions vary in quality *
b) memory is tied exclusively to experience
c) no man is an island
d) memories are stored in a collective subconscious
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,15. Aristotle’s laws of association include all of the following EXCEPT __________.
a) similarity
b) contiguity
c) contrast
d) idealized abstractions *
16. Aristotle’s laws of association include all of the following EXCEPT __________.
a) similarity
b) regularity *
c) contrast
d) contiguity
17. Who was the seventeenth-century scientist/philosopher who developed a sophisticated theory
of memory but never followed up on it, leaving it to fall into obscurity, further delaying the
onset of a scientific study of memory?
a) Isaac Newton
b) Robert Hooke *
c) Charles Darwin
d) Benjamin Franklin
18. What influence did Darwin have on theories of memory?
a) the idea that memory develops in a person through a selection process
b) the concept that memory is dependent on a complex brain
c) the idea that memory has developed over the generations to adapt to the demands of
the environment *
d) none
19. Memory development in a person is guided by his or her DNA.
a) true
b) false
c) partially true*
d) true, except for cases of brain damage
20. An important concept that is heavily used in theories of memory that developed out of the
empiricist tradition is __________.
a) the association *
b) adaptation to changes in the environment
c) the engram
d) separation of mind and body
21. Empiricists such as Aristotle believed that memory operates as __________.
a) associations between experiences or stimuli *
b) a bridge between perceptions and rational abstractions (since empirical observations
are often distorted)
c) an abstract, perfect realm without need for additional inquiry
d) the rational link between the mind and the body
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, 22. An important idea for memory research taken from the rationalist tradition in philosophy is
that __________.
a) the mind is rational
b) everything is explainable with empirical testing
c) genetics is the guide to understanding memory at its basic level
d) the mind actively constructs our interpretation of reality *
23. Something discovered by Ebbinghaus that describes a process that can reduce the effects of
forgetting is __________.
a) forgetting curve
b) overlearning *
c) learning curve
d) savings
24. Ebbinghaus used nonsense syllables to study memory because __________.
a) he wanted to study memory in its pure form *
b) he did not have other people to test
c) they are easy to create in German
d) he wanted an experimentally clean way to assess prior knowledge
25. Which of the following is NOT a principle of memory discovered by Ebbinghaus?
a) learning curve
b) schema *
c) savings
d) distribution of practice
26. Which of the following important figures in the history of memory research was interested in
how prior knowledge influences memory?
a) Ebbinghaus
b) Bartlett *
c) Thorndike
d) Tolman
27. What is an important concept in memory developed by Bartlett?
a) learning curve
b) schema *
c) savings
d) distribution of practice
28. What is an important distinction in types of memory made by William James?
a) memory store hegemony
b) hierarchical rotations
c) the difference between primary and secondary memory *
d) the difference between procedural and declarative memory
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Chapter 1: Overview and History
1. A relatively permanent record of an experience is the essence of __________.
a) behavioral potential
b) learning
c) memory *
d) performance
2. Which is not a way that the term “memory” is used by psychologists?
a) as a unit of analysis *
b) as a storage mechanism
c) as a process
d) as a record
3. Memory is __________.
a) a storage facility
b) the result of experience
c) a process
d) all of the above *
4. Which is NOT a way that the term memory is used?
a) an item that holds the contents of previous experiences
b) a location where information is kept
c) mental processes involved in acquiring, storing, or retrieving information
d) a perfect replication of events *
5. Which of the following is NOT an aspect of learning?
a) behavior potential
b) maturation *
c) relative permanence
d) experience
6. Learning is __________.
a) a relatively permanent change in behavior potential
b) a process
c) the result of experience
d) all of the above *
7. What is a good definition of learning?
a) a change in the potential to alter behavior as a consequence of experience *
b) putting information in the memory store
c) retaining contents of experience
d) the mental process used to acquire, store, or retrieve information
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,8. An engram is to memory as __________.
a) a keyboard is to a computer
b) a mouse is to a computer
c) a file is to a computer *
d) a central processing unit is to a computer
9. Why are there so many metaphors for memory?
a) because memory cannot be studied objectively
b) to demonstrate that all of our memories are different
c) because we cannot observe memory directly *
d) because people’s attitudes and opinions change so much over time
10. Metaphors for memory (like a recorder or organized storage) are used because __________.
a) the uncomplicated nature of memory makes metaphors easy to find
b) memory must be observed indirectly, so metaphors are useful tools for understanding
its complexities *
c) you can exercise your memory like a muscle, so creating new metaphors makes your
memory more efficient
d) using language as a mental representation prevents memory loss
11. Which metaphor captures the idea that there is an organization to memory?
a) cow’s stomach
b) lock and key
c) video camera
d) network *
12. Which metaphor captures the idea that information in memory can be forgotten?
a) leaky bucket *
b) computer
c) junk drawer
d) library
13. Which metaphor of memory conveys the idea that memories are discrete collections of
information?
a) hidden observer
b) computer
c) literacy *
d) aviary
14. One contribution of Plato’s philosophy to work on memory was the idea that __________.
a) different impressions vary in quality *
b) memory is tied exclusively to experience
c) no man is an island
d) memories are stored in a collective subconscious
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,15. Aristotle’s laws of association include all of the following EXCEPT __________.
a) similarity
b) contiguity
c) contrast
d) idealized abstractions *
16. Aristotle’s laws of association include all of the following EXCEPT __________.
a) similarity
b) regularity *
c) contrast
d) contiguity
17. Who was the seventeenth-century scientist/philosopher who developed a sophisticated theory
of memory but never followed up on it, leaving it to fall into obscurity, further delaying the
onset of a scientific study of memory?
a) Isaac Newton
b) Robert Hooke *
c) Charles Darwin
d) Benjamin Franklin
18. What influence did Darwin have on theories of memory?
a) the idea that memory develops in a person through a selection process
b) the concept that memory is dependent on a complex brain
c) the idea that memory has developed over the generations to adapt to the demands of
the environment *
d) none
19. Memory development in a person is guided by his or her DNA.
a) true
b) false
c) partially true*
d) true, except for cases of brain damage
20. An important concept that is heavily used in theories of memory that developed out of the
empiricist tradition is __________.
a) the association *
b) adaptation to changes in the environment
c) the engram
d) separation of mind and body
21. Empiricists such as Aristotle believed that memory operates as __________.
a) associations between experiences or stimuli *
b) a bridge between perceptions and rational abstractions (since empirical observations
are often distorted)
c) an abstract, perfect realm without need for additional inquiry
d) the rational link between the mind and the body
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, 22. An important idea for memory research taken from the rationalist tradition in philosophy is
that __________.
a) the mind is rational
b) everything is explainable with empirical testing
c) genetics is the guide to understanding memory at its basic level
d) the mind actively constructs our interpretation of reality *
23. Something discovered by Ebbinghaus that describes a process that can reduce the effects of
forgetting is __________.
a) forgetting curve
b) overlearning *
c) learning curve
d) savings
24. Ebbinghaus used nonsense syllables to study memory because __________.
a) he wanted to study memory in its pure form *
b) he did not have other people to test
c) they are easy to create in German
d) he wanted an experimentally clean way to assess prior knowledge
25. Which of the following is NOT a principle of memory discovered by Ebbinghaus?
a) learning curve
b) schema *
c) savings
d) distribution of practice
26. Which of the following important figures in the history of memory research was interested in
how prior knowledge influences memory?
a) Ebbinghaus
b) Bartlett *
c) Thorndike
d) Tolman
27. What is an important concept in memory developed by Bartlett?
a) learning curve
b) schema *
c) savings
d) distribution of practice
28. What is an important distinction in types of memory made by William James?
a) memory store hegemony
b) hierarchical rotations
c) the difference between primary and secondary memory *
d) the difference between procedural and declarative memory
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