week 3

Here’s a Q&A based on your lecture:

Q&A on Lecture 3: The WEIRDest People in the World & Memory

WEIRD Psychology

1. Q: What does WEIRD stand for in psychological research?

   • A: Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic.

2. Q: Why is the overrepresentation of WEIRD participants a problem in psychological research?

   • A: Because results are often generalized to all humans, even though WEIRD populations are not representative of global human diversity.

Social Cognition & Memory

3. Q: What are the key topics covered in this lecture on memory?

   • A: Social cognition, reconstructive memory, long-term memory (implicit & explicit), social scripts, episodic memory, and cultural influences on memory.

4. Q: Why is memory considered a reconstructive process?

   • A: Memories are stored in pieces and reassembled when recalled, which can introduce errors or biases.

Memory Processes

5. Q: What are the three main processes of memory?

   • A: Encoding (getting information into the brain), storage (keeping information in the brain), and retrieval (getting information out of the brain).

6. Q: What are the three types of memory in the Three-Box Model?

   • A: Sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM).

7. Q: How does implicit memory differ from explicit memory?

   • A: Implicit memory is unconscious (e.g., procedural memory, priming), whereas explicit memory involves conscious recall (e.g., episodic and semantic memory).

Memory Biases & Social Scripts

8. Q: What is an example of priming?

   • A: If someone sees the word "yellow," they may recognize the word "banana" more quickly.

9. Q: What are social scripts, and why are they important?

   • A: Social scripts are mental templates for common social situations (e.g., going to a restaurant), helping guide behavior based on cultural norms.

10. Q: How can cultural differences affect social scripts?

• A: Different cultures have unique social expectations (e.g., greetings, personal space), which can lead to misunderstandings.

False Memories & Categorization

11. Q: What are false memories, and how do they occur?

• A: False memories occur when people recall events inaccurately, often due to biases, category-based thinking, or leading questions.

12. Q: How do prototypes and exemplars influence categorization?

• A: Prototypes are typical representations of a category, while exemplars are specific instances. People use both to classify new experiences.

13. Q: What role does folk biology play in cognition?

• A: It refers to how humans classify and reason about the natural world, influenced by cultural and environmental factors.

Would you like me to refine or expand on any of these? 😊