DIPLOMA IN PSYCHOLOGY

FINAL SEMESTER EXAMINATION

YEAR 1, SEMESTER 2
ACADEMIC SESSION OCTOBER 2019

COURSE CODE : PSY 1063

COURSE TITLE : COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

DATE/ DAY :

TIME :

DURATION : 3 HOURS

ANSWER
SCHEME
 DIPLOMA IN PSYCHOLOGY FINAL EXAMINATION YEAR 2 SEMESTER 2

SECTION A: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION (40 MARKS)

Q.No Answer Q.No Answer Q.No Answer Q.No Answer
1 C 11 B 21 D 31 A
2 D 12 C 22 D 32 D
3 B 13 A 23 D 33 A
4 D 14 C 24 D 34 B
5 A 15 B 25 B 35 C
6 B 16 B 26 A 36 D
7 B 17 C 27 B 37 A
8 B 18 C 28 A 38 B
9 A 19 D 29 D 39 C
10 C 20 C 30 B 40 C

SECTION B: SHORT ANSWER QUESTION (40 MARKS)

Answer ALL questions in the answer sheets provided.
1. Define briefly these three types of memory storage. (10 MARKS)
Sensory Memory - This is the momentary persistence of sensory information after
stimulation has ceased. It begins to decay almost immediately if you don't attend to it.
You are constantly being bombarded by sensory information so you must control the
selection of what you encode. This is called selective attention.

Short-Term Memory - This is the memory system that holds limited amounts of
information for relatively short periods of time. Information must be transferred from
sensory memory to STM in order for it to be processed and become meaningful. This
is what we are consciously aware of at any time. The capacity of short-term memory
is thought of as being 7 +/- 2 items. Information can be kept in STM indefinitely by
rehearsing it. Short-term memory is thought to exist in a bio-electrical state and to be
converted into long-term memory it must be incorporated into a chemical state.

Long-Term Memory - This is the memory system for large amounts of information
over long periods of time. Its capacity is limitless yet retrieval of information is not
always easy. For example, sometimes we know we know something but we can't
remember it. This is referred to as Tip-of-the-Tongue Phenomenon. Long-term
memory can be Episodic Memory which is an autobiographical record of what we
see, hear, or do or Semantic Memory which is organized knowledge about words or
symbols and the rules for manipulating them.

2. Briefly define the terms below.

Central Nervous System –
This consists of the brain and spinal cord. this is the ultimate control center for all
human behavior.
 Peripheral Nervous System – This consists primarily of nerves that conveys signals
from the body's sensory receptors to the CNS and transmits messages back from the
CNS to muscles or glands.
 DIPLOMA IN PSYCHOLOGY FINAL EXAMINATION YEAR 2 SEMESTER 2

3. Indicate whether the following are Central Nervous System (CNS) or Peripheral
Nervous System (PNS).
Part of nervous system CNS or PNS?
Brain CNS
Autonomic Nervous System PNS
Spinal nerves PNS
Spinal cord CNS

4. There are two basic processes in perception. Briefly describe the terms below.
i. Bottom-up processing (5
MARKS)
Data based processing
Processing based on data received from stimulus (eg. light)
No incoming data, no perception

ii. Top-down processing (5

MARKS)
Knowledge-based processing
Processing that is based on knowledge
Knowledge of a context can influence one’s perception

SECTION C: ESSAY QUESTION (20 MARKS)

Answer ALL questions in the answer sheets provided.
1. Long term memory can be either episodic memory or semantic memory. Briefly
explain episodic memory and semantic memory with examples. (10
MARKS)

Long-term memory can be Episodic Memory which is an autobiographical record of what

we see, hear, or do or Semantic Memory which is organized knowledge about words or
symbols and the rules for manipulating them.
2. Aphasia is a difficulty in using language or symbols in communication. Briefly
explain and describe Wernicke’s aphasia and Broca’s aphasia. (10
MARKS)
Broca’s Aphasia (Speech affected)
Patient understands but cannot answer appropriately spoken or written speech
Inability to process language. Speech is not fluent
 DIPLOMA IN PSYCHOLOGY FINAL EXAMINATION YEAR 2 SEMESTER 2

Eg. : – Why, yes…Thursday, er, er, er, no, er, Firday…Bar-bara…wife…and, oh, car…
drive…purnpike…you know…rest and…teevee (Gardner, 1975)

Wernicke’s Aphasia (Comprehension/Understanding affected)

Patient cannot understand spoken or written speech
Patient unable to understand any commands / questions
Speech is fluent but disorganized
Eg. : Boy, I’m sweating, I’m awful nervous, you know, once in a while I get caught up,
I can’t mention the tarripoi, a month ago, quite a little, I’ve done a lot well. I impose a lot,
while, on the other hand, you know what I mean, I have to run around, look it over,
trebbin and all that sort of stuff (Gardner, 1975)