Cognitive Approach

Question 1

What are the three memory stores?

Answer 1

• Sensory memory
• Short-term memory (STM)
• Long-term memory (LTM)

Question 2

What is encoding in memory?

Answer 2

Converting information from one form (code) to another so it can be stored and transferred between memory stores.

Question 3

What is capacity in memory?

Answer 3

The amount of material that can be stored.

Question 4

What is duration in memory?

Answer 4

The length of time information can be stored.

Question 5

What is the duration of short-term memory?

Answer 5

18–30 seconds.

Question 6

What is the capacity of short-term memory?

Answer 6

7 +/- 2 items.

Question 7

What type of encoding is used in short-term memory?

Answer 7

Acoustic (sound).

Question 8

What are the key features of short-term memory?

Answer 8

Duration: lasts about 18–30 seconds.
Capacity: 7 ± 2 items.
Encoding: acoustic (sound).

Question 9

What is the duration of long-term memory?

Answer 9

Memories can last a lifetime.

Question 10

What is the capacity of long-term memory?

Answer 10

Unlimited.

Question 11

What type of encoding is used in long-term memory?

Answer 11

Semantic (based on meaning).

Question 12

What are the key features of long-term memory?

Answer 12

Duration: can last a lifetime.
Capacity: unlimited.
Encoding: semantic (based on meaning).

Question 13

What are the main types of remembering?

Answer 13

Recall and Recognition

Question 14

What is free recall?

Answer 14

Recalling information without any assistance from cues

Question 15

What is cued recall?

Answer 15

Recalling information with the help of environmental cues.

Question 16

What is recognition?

Answer 16

Remembering something because we have encountered it before (e.g., multiple choice).

Question 17

What are cues in memory?

Answer 17

Stimuli in the environment that help trigger a memory.

Question 18

What are the types of cues?

Answer 18

• Meaningful cues: connected to the memory.
• Cues without meaning: not associated with the memory.

Question 19

What is reconstructive memory?

Answer 19

Memory is stored in fragments and is not always 100% accurate.

Question 20

What is a schema?

Answer 20

A mental package of information based on past experience.

Question 21

What are examples of reconstructive memory errors?

Answer 21

• Shortening
• Rationalization
• Confabulation

Question 22

What is shortening in memory?

Answer 22

Leaving out or simplifying details

Question 23

What is rationalisation in memory?

Answer 23

Changing details so that it makes sense to our schemas

Question 24

What is confabulation in memory?

Answer 24

Filling in gaps in memory with false information

Question 25

What is cognitive priming?

Answer 25

Exposure to a stimulus effects our later response

Question 26

What are the three types of cognitive priming?

Answer 26

- Repetition priming - Semantic priming - Associative priming

Question 27

What is repetition priming?

Answer 27

Repetition priming happens when repeated exposure to a stimulus makes our response faster and more accurate.

Question 28

What is semantic priming?

Answer 28

Semantic priming occurs when two stimuli are related in meaning. ## Footnote Example: Hearing the word “doctor” makes you think of “nurse” because they are semantically related.

Question 29

What is associative priming?

Answer 29

Associative priming is when a stimulus is linked to another because they often go together. ## Footnote Example: Hearing “bread” might make you think of “butter.”

Question 30

What is a schema?

Answer 30

A mental package of information based on past experiences.

Question 31

What are cognitive scripts?

Answer 31

A persons expectations for how a social situation will play out

Question 32

What is person perception?

Answer 32

How we form judgments about others, influenced by schemas and past experience.

Question 33

How do schemas influence person perception?

Answer 33

Schemas guide our expectations and interpretations of others, which can help us make fast judgments but may also lead to biases.

Question 34

What is a cognitive bias?

Answer 34

An error in thinking caused by relying on mental shortcuts (schemas).

Question 35

Why are cognitive biases useful?

Answer 35

• They simplify how we view the world. • Help us make decisions quickly.

Question 36

Why are cognitive biases not useful?

Answer 36

• They can distort memory and judgment. • They can lead to flawed or irrational decisions.

Question 37

What are the three cognitive biases?

Answer 37

- fundamental attribution error (FAE) - confirmation bias - hostile attribution bias (HAB)

Question 38

What is Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)?

Answer 38

Blaming someone’s behaviour on personality instead of considering external factors. ## Footnote Example: Assuming someone is lazy for being late, ignoring the fact they may have had a car breakdown.

Question 39

What is Confirmation Bias?

Answer 39

Focusing on information that supports your beliefs while ignoring opposing evidence. ## Footnote Example: Only reading news that supports your opinion about a political issue.

Question 40

What is Hostile Attribution Bias (HAB)?

Answer 40

Believing a behaviour is aggressive and done with intent to harm when it isn’t ## Footnote **Example:** Believing someone bumped into you on purpose when it was an accident.