AP Psychology · Topic 2.6

Retrieving Memories Practice

Part of Cognition.

Practice questions

8

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Sample questions

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  1. Sample 1difficulty 2/5

    In a classic study by Godden and Baddeley, scuba divers learned a list of 40 words either on land or 10 feet underwater. Later, divers were tested on recall either in the same environment where they learned the list or the opposite environment. Recall was significantly better when divers were tested in the same environment in which they had learned the words, regardless of whether that was on land or underwater.

    A follow-up study showed participants who learned material while caffeinated recalled it best when caffeinated again. This finding illustrates:

    • A

      Retroactive interference

    • B

      Source amnesia

    • C

      State-dependent memory

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    • D

      Context-dependent memory

    Why

    State-dependent memory occurs when recall is best in the same internal state (e.g., drug, mood) as during encoding. Context-dependent memory involves external environment, not internal state.

  2. Sample 2difficulty 3/5

    In a classic study by Godden and Baddeley, scuba divers learned a list of 40 words either on land or 10 feet underwater. Later, divers were tested on recall either in the same environment where they learned the list or the opposite environment. Recall was significantly better when divers were tested in the same environment in which they had learned the words, regardless of whether that was on land or underwater.

    These results most strongly support which memory phenomenon?

    • A

      State-dependent memory (encoding specific to internal mood)

    • B

      Proactive interference

    • C

      Mood-congruent memory

    • D

      Context-dependent memory (encoding specificity for environmental cues)

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    Why

    Context-dependent memory is the finding that recall is improved when the external environment at retrieval matches that of encoding. State-dependent memory involves matching internal physiological or emotional states.

  3. Sample 3difficulty 3/5

    A retrieval cue is

    • A

      A stimulus that helps activate memory of related information

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    • B

      A newly formed memory trace

    • C

      An automatic reflexive response

    • D

      A specific type of brain wave pattern

    Why

    Smells, music, places can all act as retrieval cues.

  4. Sample 4difficulty 3/5

    Recognition (multiple-choice) is generally easier than recall (essay) because

    • A

      Recall tasks are processed faster

    • B

      The two formats are equally difficult

    • C

      Recognition tasks provide no cues

    • D

      Recognition provides retrieval cues

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    Why

    The presented options serve as retrieval cues.

  5. Sample 5difficulty 4/5

    On a serial position curve, items in the middle are

    • A

      Recalled only when paired with a retrieval cue

    • B

      Recalled most poorly (no primacy or recency advantage)

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    • C

      Recalled in reverse order of original presentation

    • D

      Recalled best (strongest primacy and recency advantages)

    Why

    Sandwich effect: middle items lose primacy and recency advantages.