QCAA Psychology Memory
15 sample questions with marking guides and sample answers · Avg. score: 74.9%
Use the following information to answer the question.
Study 1: The characteristics of 'event memories' in dogs
Recent research has summarised numerous case studies regarding the autobiographical memory of dogs. Findings suggest that dogs have long-term memories of past events, as 80% of owners reported that their pet had shown signs of remembering an event. The most reported long-term memories involved dogs locating hidden items.
The following is an excerpt of a case study collected during Study 1.
Case Study A: One owner reported that their dog had escaped through their fence to the neighbour's house, then in through the neighbour's cat door to eat the cat's food. Several years later, on a day when their dog had not been fed, it again escaped through the same fence and in through the same neighbour's cat door to get to the food.
Source: Adapted from A Lewis and D Berntsen, 'Pet memoirs: The characteristics of event memories in cats and dogs, as reported by their owners', Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2020, 222 [104885] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2019.104885
The study defined an 'event memory' as an experience or event that occurred in the past and was later recalled. According to the Atkinson-Shiffrin multi-store model of memory, an 'event memory' would involve
all sensory memory being retained and retrieved.
the visual information being attended to and encoded.
the retrieval of short-term memory to echoic sensory memory.
the use of rehearsal to transfer sensory memory to short-term memory.
Reveal Answer
all sensory memory being retained and retrieved.
Sensory memory holds a vast amount of information but only for a fraction of a second. Only a small portion of sensory memory is attended to and retained, not all of it.
the visual information being attended to and encoded.
In the Atkinson-Shiffrin model, sensory information (such as visual details of an event) must be attended to in order to enter short-term memory, and then encoded to be stored in long-term memory for later recall.
the retrieval of short-term memory to echoic sensory memory.
Information flows from sensory memory to short-term memory, not the other way around. Retrieval involves bringing information from long-term memory back into short-term memory.
the use of rehearsal to transfer sensory memory to short-term memory.
Attention, not rehearsal, is the process required to transfer information from sensory memory to short-term memory. Rehearsal is used to transfer information from short-term memory to long-term memory.
Use the following information to answer the question.
Justin is listening to the radio in his car when a 'guess the song' competition is announced. Justin thinks he knows the song, so he listens for the phone number to call.
According to the Atkinson-Shiffrin multi-store model of memory, how long will the phone number remain in Justin's short-term memory if he does not write the number down or engage in any other practices to remember it?
5-10 seconds
10-20 seconds
15-30 seconds
30-45 seconds
Reveal Answer
5-10 seconds
This underestimates the duration of short-term memory, which lasts longer than 10 seconds even without active rehearsal.
10-20 seconds
While close, this range is slightly too short. The standard accepted maximum duration for short-term memory without rehearsal is up to 30 seconds.
15-30 seconds
According to the Atkinson-Shiffrin model, the standard duration of short-term memory is approximately 15 to 30 seconds unless the information is actively rehearsed.
30-45 seconds
This overestimates the duration of short-term memory. Without maintenance rehearsal, information is typically lost through decay before 30 seconds have passed.
Use the following information to answer the question.
Physical education teachers often demonstrate a desired motor skill and then ask their students to perform the same skill in the next lesson. The teacher then provides them with encouraging and focused feedback while they practise the motor skill.
As students master the desired action, the memory of the motor skill involves the
neocortex and hippocampus, as it is an explicit memory.
basal ganglia and cerebellum, as it is an implicit memory.
hippocampus and cerebellum, as it is an implicit memory.
hippocampus, neocortex and amygdala, as it is an explicit memory.
Reveal Answer
neocortex and hippocampus, as it is an explicit memory.
Motor skills are procedural memories, which are a type of implicit memory, not explicit memory. The neocortex and hippocampus are primarily involved in explicit memory.
basal ganglia and cerebellum, as it is an implicit memory.
Motor skills are procedural memories, which are a type of implicit memory. The basal ganglia and cerebellum are the key brain structures involved in the formation and storage of implicit memories.
hippocampus and cerebellum, as it is an implicit memory.
While the cerebellum is involved in implicit memory, the hippocampus is primarily responsible for explicit memory consolidation, making this pairing incorrect.
hippocampus, neocortex and amygdala, as it is an explicit memory.
Motor skills are implicit memories, not explicit memories. The hippocampus, neocortex, and amygdala are involved in explicit and emotional memories.
Which one of the following is most likely to be experienced following brain trauma that results in a diagnosis of anterograde amnesia?
poor recall of memories
difficulty forming new memories
loss of both explicit and implicit memories
an inability to recall events prior to the damage
Reveal Answer
poor recall of memories
While memory is impaired, this description is too broad. Anterograde amnesia specifically affects the creation of new memories rather than just the general recall of existing ones.
difficulty forming new memories
Anterograde amnesia is defined as the inability to form new memories following brain trauma, typically due to damage to the hippocampus preventing memory consolidation.
loss of both explicit and implicit memories
Anterograde amnesia primarily impairs the formation of new explicit (declarative) memories, while the ability to form new implicit (procedural) memories usually remains intact.
an inability to recall events prior to the damage
The inability to recall events that occurred prior to the brain damage is the definition of retrograde amnesia, not anterograde amnesia.
Use the following information to answer the question.
A study explored which paper-folding techniques are more easily learnt by four-year-old children. Researchers observed 30 children in their kindergarten classrooms while the children folded paper.
During the study, a piece of paper cuts a child’s finger and the child quickly withdraws their hand.
The memory of the fine motor skills required for paper-folding is stored in the
neocortex, because this is a semantic memory.
cerebellum, because this is an implicit memory.
basal ganglia, because this is an explicit memory.
hippocampus, because this is a procedural memory.
Reveal Answer
neocortex, because this is a semantic memory.
Fine motor skills are procedural memories, not semantic memories. Semantic memories are explicit memories of facts and general knowledge, which are stored in the neocortex.
cerebellum, because this is an implicit memory.
Fine motor skills are a type of procedural memory, which is a form of implicit memory. The cerebellum plays a crucial role in the learning and storage of these implicit motor skills.
basal ganglia, because this is an explicit memory.
While the basal ganglia are indeed involved in procedural memory and motor control, motor skills are a type of implicit memory, not explicit memory.
hippocampus, because this is a procedural memory.
Although motor skills are procedural memories, the hippocampus is primarily responsible for the consolidation of explicit memories (like episodic and semantic memories), not procedural ones.
Use the following information to answer the question.
Mr Wallace is a Geography teacher at a high school. He is interested in finding out whether Year 9 students or Year 10 students are faster at learning the names of capital cities. One class at each year level is shown a presentation with each of the selected 20 countries and their capital cities on separate slides. Students are instructed to silently memorise the name of each country’s capital city. At the end of the presentation, each student is then provided with a list of countries only, in the same order as presented. Students are asked to write the name of the correct capital city beside the name of as many countries as possible. Mr Wallace then records how many correct pairs of capital cities and countries each student gets, and calculates the mean for each class.
Which measure of retention was being tested by Mr Wallace?
recall
relearning
recognition
reconstruction
Reveal Answer
recall
Recall involves retrieving information from memory with few or no cues. In this case, students must retrieve the capital city from memory using only the country name as a cue (specifically, cued recall).
relearning
Relearning measures the amount of time or number of trials saved when learning information again that has already been committed to memory, which is not what is being tested here.
recognition
Recognition involves identifying the correct information from a list of alternatives (such as in a multiple-choice test). These students must generate the answers themselves rather than selecting them from a list.
reconstruction
Reconstruction involves rearranging parts of an original stimulus back into their correct order or structure, rather than retrieving a specific paired word from memory.
Open-ended questioning techniques are less likely to be fallible than the interviewing techniques highlighted in Loftus’s research because
they improve memory of emotional events.
memory reconstruction of events will not occur.
they avoid leading questions that could introduce false information.
more information about an event is likely to be elicited from an eyewitness.
Reveal Answer
they improve memory of emotional events.
Open-ended questions do not inherently improve the memory of emotional events; rather, they change how information is retrieved without necessarily enhancing the memory trace itself.
memory reconstruction of events will not occur.
Memory reconstruction occurs every time a memory is retrieved, regardless of the questioning technique used. Open-ended questions cannot prevent the natural reconstructive nature of memory.
they avoid leading questions that could introduce false information.
Elizabeth Loftus's research demonstrated the misinformation effect, where leading questions can alter a witness's memory by introducing false details. Open-ended questions are less fallible because they allow the witness to recall events without suggestive prompts.
more information about an event is likely to be elicited from an eyewitness.
While open-ended questions might elicit a broader range of information, this does not explain why they are less fallible in the context of Loftus's research, which specifically focused on the dangers of suggestive or leading questions.
An investigation by Wixted (1991) allowed participants to rehearse words up until the moment of recall. The strategy most likely used by participants in the investigation to improve their memory was
maintenance rehearsal.
elaborative rehearsal.
method of loci.
SQ4R method.
Reveal Answer
maintenance rehearsal.
Maintenance rehearsal involves the rote repetition of information to keep it active in short-term memory. In Wixted's investigation, participants used this strategy to prevent memory decay by repeating the words continuously until the moment of recall.
elaborative rehearsal.
Elaborative rehearsal involves linking new information to existing knowledge to facilitate transfer to long-term memory. The participants in this study were primarily focused on keeping the items active in immediate awareness via repetition rather than deep processing.
method of loci.
The method of loci is a complex mnemonic device that involves visualizing items in specific spatial locations. It is a specialized technique rather than the simple repetition strategy observed in this context.
SQ4R method.
SQ4R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Relate, Review) is a comprehensive study method designed for reading textbooks and improving comprehension, not a strategy for retaining a list of words in a short-term memory task.
This question refers to modified data collected in the investigation by Grant et al. (1998).
| Test condition | Study condition: Silent | Study condition: Silent | Study condition: Noisy | Study condition: Noisy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean score | Standard deviation | Mean score | Standard deviation | ||
| Short answer test (/10) | Silent | 6.7 | 1.2 | 5.4 | 1.9 |
| Short answer test (/10) | Noisy | 4.6 | 1.1 | 6.2 | 2.2 |
| Multiple choice test (/15) | Silent | 14.3 | 1.5 | 12.7 | 1.6 |
| Multiple choice test (/15) | Noisy | 12.7 | 1.6 | 14.3 | 1.7 |
Which of the following conditions resulted in the best student performance?
silent short answer test with the silent study condition
silent short answer test with the noisy study condition
silent multiple choice test with the silent study condition
silent multiple choice test with the noisy study condition
Reveal Answer
silent short answer test with the silent study condition
This option is incorrect because the data shows that students performed significantly better on the multiple choice test compared to the short answer test, regardless of the study condition.
silent short answer test with the noisy study condition
This option is incorrect because it combines the more difficult short answer format with a mismatching study (noisy) and test (silent) environment, resulting in lower performance scores.
silent multiple choice test with the silent study condition
This option is correct because the table indicates that the highest mean score was achieved when students both studied and took the multiple choice test in silent conditions (matching environments).
silent multiple choice test with the noisy study condition
This option is incorrect because, although the multiple choice format yielded higher scores than short answers, the mismatch between the noisy study condition and silent test condition resulted in lower performance than the fully silent condition.
Use the following information to answer the question.
Study 1: The characteristics of 'event memories' in dogs
Recent research has summarised numerous case studies regarding the autobiographical memory of dogs. Findings suggest that dogs have long-term memories of past events, as 80% of owners reported that their pet had shown signs of remembering an event. The most reported long-term memories involved dogs locating hidden items.
The following is an excerpt of a case study collected during Study 1.
Case Study A: One owner reported that their dog had escaped through their fence to the neighbour's house, then in through the neighbour's cat door to eat the cat's food. Several years later, on a day when their dog had not been fed, it again escaped through the same fence and in through the same neighbour's cat door to get to the food.
Source: Adapted from A Lewis and D Berntsen, 'Pet memoirs: The characteristics of event memories in cats and dogs, as reported by their owners', Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2020, 222 [104885] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2019.104885
Researchers conducted the investigation again six months later in Study 2. The table below shows the number of dog owners used in Study 1 and Study 2.
| Study | Number of dog owners |
|---|---|
| 1 | 106 |
| 2 | 256 |
Study 2 also involved an improved questionnaire with greater clarity and more prompts for details of their dogs' memories.
What was the purpose of conducting Study 2?
to test the reproducibility of Study 1 and improve the validity
to test the external validity of Study 1 and improve the repeatability
to generate a 'true value' from which the accuracy of Study 2 could be assessed
to decrease the impact of systematic errors and improve the overall precision of the data
Reveal Answer
to test the reproducibility of Study 1 and improve the validity
Conducting the study again at a different time tests reproducibility, while improving the questionnaire to better capture the intended information improves the study's validity.
to test the external validity of Study 1 and improve the repeatability
Repeatability refers to conducting an experiment under the exact same conditions. Because Study 2 used an improved questionnaire and a different sample size, it tests reproducibility rather than repeatability.
to generate a 'true value' from which the accuracy of Study 2 could be assessed
A 'true value' cannot be established for subjective questionnaire data about dog memories, as there is no objective, measurable standard to compare against.
to decrease the impact of systematic errors and improve the overall precision of the data
Increasing the sample size decreases the impact of random errors (improving precision), but it does not decrease the impact of systematic errors. Improving the questionnaire addresses validity rather than precision.
Use the following information to answer the question.
Tracy received the news that her audition for the lead role in the school play was successful.
Tracy learnt the lines of the play over several late nights and drank coffee to stay awake. However, when she stepped on the stage the week that rehearsals started, she forgot her lines. Later that week, Tracy walked into a coffee shop. As she smelled the coffee, Tracy recalled her lines.
This is because, for Tracy, coffee
decreases performance anxiety.
has become a state-dependent cue.
has become a context-dependent cue.
improves her ability to store information in long-term memory.
Reveal Answer
decreases performance anxiety.
There is no evidence in the scenario that coffee decreased her anxiety. Furthermore, coffee is a stimulant that typically increases physiological arousal rather than decreasing anxiety.
has become a state-dependent cue.
State-dependent cues refer to an individual's internal physiological or psychological state (such as being caffeinated or intoxicated) during encoding, rather than external environmental stimuli.
has become a context-dependent cue.
Context-dependent cues are external environmental stimuli (like the smell of coffee) present during encoding that later help trigger the retrieval of those memories.
improves her ability to store information in long-term memory.
The scenario describes the successful retrieval of already stored information when exposed to a specific cue, not the initial storage or consolidation of information in long-term memory.
Use the following information to answer the question.
Justin is listening to the radio in his car when a 'guess the song' competition is announced. Justin thinks he knows the song, so he listens for the phone number to call.
According to the Atkinson-Shiffrin multi-store model of memory, when Justin wants to retrieve the phone number from long-term memory, the number will be
recalled directly from long-term memory.
moved from long-term memory to short-term memory.
moved from long-term memory directly to sensory memory.
moved from long-term memory to sensory memory, via short-term memory.
Reveal Answer
recalled directly from long-term memory.
According to the Atkinson-Shiffrin model, information cannot be consciously processed directly in long-term memory; it must be transferred to short-term memory first.
moved from long-term memory to short-term memory.
In the Atkinson-Shiffrin model, retrieval is the process of transferring information from long-term memory back into short-term memory for conscious use.
moved from long-term memory directly to sensory memory.
Information is not transferred back to sensory memory, which only briefly holds raw sensory input from the environment before it is passed to short-term memory.
moved from long-term memory to sensory memory, via short-term memory.
While information retrieved from long-term memory does enter short-term memory, it does not continue on to sensory memory.
Use the following information to answer the quesiton.
Dr Juc was investigating the impact of speed of delivery on the serial position effect using two groups. Group 1 was presented with a list of 30 words at a slow pace (one word every 5 seconds). Group 2 had the same list of words presented at a fast pace (one word every 0.5 seconds).
Immediately following the presentation of the list, both groups completed a mathematical task for two minutes. Then, participants were instructed to type the words they remembered into a computer. The computer recorded the time taken by each participant to recall each word (called 'lapsed time').
How long will each word remain in Dr Juc's participants' sensory memory?
0.2–4 seconds
5–9 seconds
15–30 seconds
potentially indefinitely
Reveal Answer
0.2–4 seconds
Sensory memory has a very brief duration of approximately 0.2 to 4 seconds, depending on whether the stimulus is visual (iconic memory, ~0.2-0.4 seconds) or auditory (echoic memory, ~3-4 seconds).
5–9 seconds
This range typically refers to the capacity of short-term memory (Miller's Law of 7 ± 2 items), not the duration of sensory memory.
15–30 seconds
This is the approximate duration of short-term memory, which holds information for about 15 to 30 seconds without rehearsal, rather than sensory memory.
potentially indefinitely
This describes the duration of long-term memory, which can store information for a lifetime, whereas sensory memory is extremely brief.
Use the following information to answer the question.
Denver is an aspiring classical musician and their audition with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is scheduled for today. Denver is feeling anxious even though they have practised for many weeks.
During the weeks of practice, which of the following neural changes occurred in Denver's brain?
Dendrites became increasingly myelinated.
New pathways became more efficient when Denver made errors.
Structural changes occurred in the axon when Denver made fewer mistakes.
Unnecessary pathways were pruned as Denver developed their playing technique.
Reveal Answer
Dendrites became increasingly myelinated.
Myelin sheaths form around axons to increase the speed of neural transmission, not around dendrites.
New pathways became more efficient when Denver made errors.
Neural pathways become more efficient through repeated, correct practice (long-term potentiation), rather than when errors are made.
Structural changes occurred in the axon when Denver made fewer mistakes.
Structural changes during learning primarily occur at the synapses (such as increased dendritic branching) rather than within the axon itself.
Unnecessary pathways were pruned as Denver developed their playing technique.
As Denver refines their playing technique, unused or inefficient neural connections are eliminated through synaptic pruning, which streamlines and strengthens the necessary pathways.
Urbach-Wiethe disease is a rare genetic disorder. Some patients who suffer from Urbach-Wiethe disease may experience lack of fear and may reach out to touch a venomous snake despite remembering that it is dangerous to do so.
Which region(s) of the brain is likely to be affected by Urbach-Wiethe disease?
amygdala
cerebellum
hippocampus
hippocampus and amygdala
Reveal Answer
amygdala
The amygdala is the brain region primarily responsible for processing emotions such as fear. Damage to this area explains the patient's inability to experience fear.
cerebellum
The cerebellum is primarily involved in motor control, coordination, and balance, rather than the processing of fear or other emotions.
hippocampus
The hippocampus is responsible for memory formation and retrieval. Since the patient remembers that the snake is dangerous, this region is likely intact.
hippocampus and amygdala
While the amygdala is affected (causing the lack of fear), the hippocampus must be intact because the patient retains the memory that the snake is dangerous.