Robert Is in His Early Sixties and Is Annoyed That

question 247

Multiple Choice

Robert is in his early sixties and is annoyed that he takes longer to remember the names of his grandchildren and the dates of their birthdays than it did when he was fifty. According to information processing theory, what should Robert be told?

• A) "This sort of change in this time frame is an indication of memory disorders to come."
• B) "While not a major concern at this point, it is important to keep up with activities like crossword puzzles."
• C) "Practice at memory retrieval strategies will increase your processing speeds."
• D) "This is natural as you have accumulated so many memories and knowledge, that it takes longer to retrieve relevant items.

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Definitions:

Relearning

The process by which one regains knowledge or skills that were previously learned but then forgotten.

Nonsense Syllables

Sequences of letters that do not follow usual language patterns and have no meaning, often used in memory and learning experiments.

Ebbinghaus

A pioneer in the study of memory, known for his discovery of the forgetting curve and the spacing effect.

Alzheimer's Disease

A progressive neurological disorder characterized by memory loss, cognitive decline, and personality changes, leading to the inability to function independently.