AP PSYCHOLOGY
Chapter 8 PRS: MEMORY
Remember that this is an ESSAY. Include a brief introduction that illustrates the question.
Answer the parts of the question in the order asked. Cite researchers and their findings to
support your response. Do not use 'a', 'b', 'c', or 'd' to differentiate paragraphs. Use PARAGRAPHS!
Include a brief 1 or 2 sentence conclusion. Failure to comply will result in a lower and lower grade. Use
the research and conclusion in the structure of your essay- not as parenthetical references!
Two essay questions will comprise 1/3 of the AP Psych exam in May!
1. After suffering a brain injury in a motorcycle accident, Victor cannot form new memories. He can, however,
remember his life experiences before the accident. Victor's memory difficulty most clearly illustrates which of the
following? Where might he have had brain damage? Explain the other memory problems and cite an example of
each.
a. Repression.
b. Retroactive interference
c. Encoding failure
d. Source amnesia
2. When you hear familiar words in your native language, it is virtually impossible not to register the meanings of
the words. This best illustrates the importance of ____ . Explain the other memory terms and cite an example of
each.
a. Chunking.
b. Flashbulb memory
c. Automatic processing
d. Iconic memory
3. You are used to driving a car with a standard shift. Today you are driving a friend’s car that has an automatic
transmission. As you drive, you keep trying to shift gears, but there is no shift. This tendency is most likely due
to ___? Explain the other memory problems and cite an example of each. How can one overcome this
difficulty?
a. Retroactive interference
b. Proactive interference
c. Motivated forgetting
d. Encoding failure
4. We have all had the experience of the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon. We are asked to remember someone’s
name. We are certain that we know the name and feel as if we are just about to remember it, yet it remains
elusive. What type of forgetting might be at work here? Explain the other memory problems and cite an example
of each. What can be done, if anything, to overcome this?
a. Encoding failure
b. Retroactive interference
c. Retrieval failure
d. Motivated forgetting
5. You are asked to recall the names of the Seven Dwarfs in the Snow White fairy tale. You are familiar with the
story, and may have even seen a movie of the story, yet you cannot remember all seven names accurately. What
type of memory problem might account for this? Explain the other memory problems and cite an example of
each. What can be done of overcome this, if anything?
a. Retrieval failure
b. Encoding failure.
c. Proactive interference
d.
Storage failure