Spotlight on Terminology and Language – ESL
Pointers
When a research conclusion is upheld it is
maintained. Further replications of this
research find the same result.
Module 20: Forgetting: When Memory Fails
Page 241 “Known in the scientific literature by the
pseudonym H.M., he could remember, quite
literally, nothing—nothing, that is, that had
happened since the loss of his brain’s temporal
lobes and hippocampus during experimental
surgery to reduce epileptic seizures.”
A pseudonym is a name that is not the person’s
correct name, but is a fake name to disguise the
real identity.
Page 241 “All of us who have experienced even
routine instances of forgetting—such as not
remembering an acquaintance’s name or a fact on
a test—understand the very real consequences of
memory failure.”
Page 243 “In decay, the old books are
constantly crumbling and rotting away,
leaving room for new arrivals.”
When something rots away it is decomposing,
or being broken down by the action of bacteria
or fungus.
Page 243 “Finally, forgetting may occur
because of cue-dependent forgetting,
forgetting that occurs when there are
insufficient retrieval cues to rekindle
information that is in memory (Tulving &
Thompson, 1983).”
To kindle interest means to arouse interest, to
stir up interest. To rekindle this interest
means to arouse it again.
An acquaintance is someone you know.
Page 241 “The ability to forget inconsequential
details about experiences, people, and objects
helps us avoid being burdened and distracted by
trivial stores of meaningless data.”
Page 244 “If, for example, you have difficulty
on a French achievement test because of your
more recent exposure to Spanish, retroactive
interference is the culprit.”
A culprit is a cause of a problem.
Something that is inconsequential is not
important.
Page 241 “Using himself as the only participant in
his study Ebbinghaus memorized lists of threeletter nonsense syllables – meaningless sets of
two consonants with a vowel in between, such as
FIW and BOZ.”
Meaningless means unimportant and insignificant.
These three letter syllables had no meaning.
A consonant is any letter of the alphabet except a
vowel.
Page 241 “Despite his primitive methods,
Ebbinghaus’s study had an important influence on
subsequent research, and his basic conclusions
have been upheld (Wixted & Ebbesen, 1991).”
Primitive means very simple. The research design
for this work was primitive. It did not involve
relying on modern technology.
Page 245 “First you notice that you’re always
misplacing things, or that common nouns are
evading you as stubbornly as the names of
new acquaintances.”
When something or someone is stubborn, it is
difficult to control or move.
Page 245 “Pretty soon you’re forgetting
appointments and getting flustered when you
drive in traffic.”
To be flustered is to be nervous and unsure of
yourself.
Page 245 “You try valiantly to conceal your
lapses, but they become ever more glaring.”
When you are valiant, you are being brave
and heroic.
Page 245 “Ultimately, victims may lose their
ability to speak or comprehend language, and
physical deterioration sets in, leading to
death.”
Deterioration is the condition of gradually losing
strength and ability.
Page 245 “Usually, lost memories gradually
reappear, although full restoration may take as
long as several years.”
The word commercial comes from commerce,
which is the buying and selling of goods and
services in the open market.
Page 248 “From a healthcare provider’s
perspective: Alzheimer’s disease and amnesia
are two of the most pervasive memory
dysfunctions that threaten many individuals.”
Restoration means return.
Page 245 “A second type of amnesia is
exemplified by people who remember nothing of
their current activities.”
Anterograde amnesia is exemplified or illustrated
by people who have no memory of their current
activities.
Page 246 “Amnesia is also a consequence of
Korsakoff’s syndrome, a disease that afflicts
long-term alcoholics.”
Korsakoff’s syndrome is a disorder that results
from years of chronic alcoholism that produces
severe memory loss.
A disease that afflicts someone troubles them or
makes them miserable.
Page 246 “Such a skill at first may seem to be
enviable, but it actually presented quite a
problem.”
Something that is enviable is desirable or lucky.
Page 246 “The man’s memory became a jumble
of lists of words, numbers, and names, and when
he tried to relax, his mind was filled with images.”
When things are jumbled they are in an untidy
pile.
Page 246 “Partially as a consequence of the man’s
unusual memory, psychologist A. R. Luria, who
studied his case, found him to be a ‘disorganized
and rather dull-witted person’ (Luria, 1968, p.
65).”
Dull-witted means slow to respond, not very
smart. Page 247 “No research has shown that
commercial memory enhancers are effective.”
Pervasive means spread out all over, into
everything.