NPTEL Online Certification Course
The Human Behaviour
Assignment 4: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Question 1. The process of keeping something in memory that is described as occurring
between encoding and retrieval is called
A. decoding
B. remembering
C. storage
D. coding
Answer: C
Detailed Explanation: Storage refers to the process of maintaining information in memory over
time, between the stages of encoding (initial learning) and retrieval (recalling the information
later).
Question 2. You are given the following list of letters to memorize and repeat immediately:
QAZWSXEDCRFVTGBYHN. Which letters are you most likely to recall?
A. QA and YHN
B. the Z and the X
C. the sequence ZWSX
D. the sequence TGBY
Answer: A
Detailed Explanation: This is because these two sequences are at the beginning and end of the list.
People often have better recall for the first (primacy effect) and last (recency effect) items in a list.
These are the letters most likely to be remembered.
Question 3. The dominant means of long-term storage of verbal material is
A. acoustic
B. visual
C. meaning
D. All of the above are true
Answer: C
Detailed Explanation: Verbal material is most commonly stored in long-term memory based on
its meaning rather than its sound (acoustic) or appearance (visual).
Question 4. You look up a telephone number but you don't write it down. You would be most
likely to retain the number inworking memory by using a
A. visual code
B. semantic code
C. phonological code
D. tactile code
Answer: C
Detailed Explanation: When you try to remember a telephone number, you are likely to repeat it
to yourself (either out loud or silently), which uses a phonological code. This means you are
encoding the information based on how it sounds, which is an effective way to hold it in working
memory.
Question 5. _____ refers to the process of forming a representation of an external stimulus
and placing it in memory.
A. Encoding
B. Retrieval
C. Decoding
D. Storage
Answer: A
Detailed Explanation: Encoding refers to the process of forming a representation of an external
stimulus and placing it into memory for later retrieval.
Question 6. Working memory is characterized by limited
A. capacity
B. capacity and duration
C. duration
D. usefulness in problem solving
Answer: B
Detailed Explanation: Working memory is characterized by both limited capacity (it can only
hold a small amount of information at one time) and limited duration (information stays in working
memory for only a short period unless actively maintained).
Question 7. The span of working memory is shorter when the words presented to it take
longer to say. This suggests that forgetting in working memory is caused by
A. decay
B. lack of chunking
C. rehearsal
D. displacement
Answer: A
Detailed Explanation: Forgetting in working memory is caused by decay which is the fading of
information over time
Question 8. Your memories concerning how to hit a backhand shot in tennis is part of your
__________ memory.
A. sensory
B. short-term
C. explicit
D. implicit
Answer: D
Detailed Explanation: Implicit memory involves the recall of skills, habits, and procedures that
are performed without conscious awareness
Question 9. The grouping of meaningful information together to enhance working memory
capacity is called
A. semantic clustering
B. a mnemonic device
C. chunking
D. retrieval cueing
Answer: C
Detailed Explanation: Chunking refers to the process of grouping meaningful units of information
together to improve memory capacity.
Question 10. To prevent information in short-term store from decaying, one can use
_______.
A. memory
B. explication
C. rehearsal
D. elaboration
Answer: C
Detailed Explanation: Rehearsal involves repeating information to yourself to keep it in short-
term memory and prevent it from decaying.
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
