Exam Study Guide 2

Chapters 4,6,7,5

What is the relationship between working memory and external attention?

High working memory individuals are better at ignoring distractors, as indicated by lower CDA amplitudes.

What is the difference between covert and overt attention?

Covert attention involves mental focus without eye movements, while overt attention involves directly looking at the focus area.

What are endogenous and exogenous cues in the Posner cueing task?

Endogenous cues: Internal and voluntary (e.g., arrows).

Exogenous cues: External and automatic (e.g., flashing lights).

How do early and late selection models differ in attention?

Early selection filters inputs before full processing, while late selection occurs after stimuli are fully processed.

What is the main idea behind Broadbent’s Filter Model of Attention?

Attention acts like a filter, allowing some stimuli through for deeper processing while blocking others.

What are the two primary functions of working memory?

Storage and manipulation of information.

What is the role of the central executive in working memory?

It directs focus, coordinates components, and manages cognitive tasks.

What is the word-length effect in working memory

People remember fewer long words because they take longer to rehearse.

What is the stop-signal task, and what does it measure?

A task measuring response inhibition, where participants must stop a response when a signal appears.

How do the ACC and DLPFC contribute to conflict monitoring?

The ACC detects errors and conflicts, while the DLPFC resolves interference.

What does the Yerkes-Dodson curve illustrate about stress and performance?

Performance peaks at moderate stress but declines under high stress.

What is chunking, and who benefits from it?

Chunking is grouping information into meaningful units; skilled individuals (e.g., chess players) benefit from it.

What is the spacing effect?

Distributed practice improves long-term retention better than massed (crammed) practice.

How does the testing effect improve memory?

Testing enhances memory retention more effectively than re-studying.

What is retrieval-induced forgetting?

Focusing on specific memories inhibits the retrieval of other related memories.

What is source monitoring?

The ability to identify whether a memory originated externally (real-world) or internally (thought/dream).

How do schemas affect memory?

Schemas influence what we encode and retrieve, often aligning with expectations.

What is the weapon focus effect?

Tendency to focus on a central detail (e.g., a weapon) while ignoring peripheral information.

What are the main differences between anterograde and retrograde amnesia?

Inability to form new memories.

Loss of memories formed before an event.

What are the two types of explicit memory?

Semantic Memory: Facts and knowledge.

Episodic Memory: Personal experiences.

What is procedural memory?

A type of implicit memory for skills and habits (e.g., riding a bike).

What are the two recognition processes?

Familiarity: Knowing without details.

Recollection: Detailed recall of the event.

How did patient H.M.’s memory differ from patient K.C.’s?

• H.M.: Anterograde amnesia (couldn’t form new memories).

• K.C.: Lost episodic memory but retained semantic memory

What are the types of priming?

• Repetition Priming: Enhanced memory for repeated stimuli.

• Associative Priming: Linking related concepts.

• Perceptual Priming: Based on stimulus features.

• Conceptual Priming: Based on meaning.

What brain areas are crucial for memory?

Hippocampus: Explicit memory formation.

Amygdala: Emotional memories.

Cerebellum: Procedural memory.

Prefrontal Cortex: Working memory and decision-making.

What are the two main approaches to object recognition?

View-Based Approach: Template matching and exemplar comparisons.

Structural Descriptions: Geons and RBC model.

What are geons in Biederman’s RBC theory?

Geons are simple geometric shapes (e.g., cylinders, cones) that combine to form objects.

How does view-based object recognition differ from structural description?

View-Based: Recognition depends on familiarity with specific views.

Structural Description: Recognition is consistent across perspectives.

Are faces processed holistically? What evidence supports this?

Yes, faces are processed holistically. Evidence includes difficulty recognizing isolated facial features.

What does it mean for perception to be cognitively penetrable?

Perception is influenced by cognitive processes, like expectations or beliefs.