RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2019
Applied Psychology
Easy

Which type of memory is intact in an individual who is able to recall the multiplication table that he learned from school?

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2019

Explanation

  • Semantic memory is the system responsible for storing and retrieving general knowledge about the world, including facts, concepts, and meanings.
  • Recalling a multiplication table is a classic example of accessing semantic memory, as it involves retrieving factual information that is independent of personal experience.
  • This type of memory allows an individual to know that '2 x 2 = 4' without needing to remember the specific time, place, or emotional state associated with learning it.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option B: Episodic memory is for personal, autobiographical events. It would involve remembering the specific experience of learning the tables in a classroom, not the facts themselves.
  • Option C: Flash-bulb memory is the vivid recall of the circumstances surrounding a shocking or emotionally charged public or personal event. Learning multiplication tables does not fit this description.
  • Option D: Procedural memory relates to skills and actions ('how-to' knowledge). It governs motor skills and learned habits, not the recall of factual information.

Related Visual

Visual explanation — Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Types of long-term memory as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • Assessing different types of memory is a fundamental nursing skill, especially when caring for patients with neurological conditions like dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or brain injury.
  • Different diseases affect memory systems differently. For instance, Alzheimer's disease often impairs episodic memory first (e.g., forgetting recent conversations), while semantic and procedural memory may remain intact longer.
  • A nurse's observation of a patient's memory deficits can provide crucial information for diagnosis and care planning. For example, noting that a patient can follow instructions to brush their teeth (procedural) but cannot name the object (semantic) is a significant finding.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, identify the core concept being tested, which is the different types of long-term memory.
  • Analyze the specific task described in the question: 'recall the multiplication table'.
  • Categorize this task. Is it a personal experience, a physical skill, a memory of an emotional event, or a general fact?
  • Recognize that a multiplication table is a set of general, impersonal facts.
  • Match this category to the provided options. Semantic memory is the system responsible for storing and retrieving general facts.
  • Eliminate the other options by confirming they do not fit the task: episodic (personal events), flash-bulb (emotional events), and procedural (skills/actions).
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Types of long-term memory
  • Stem keywords: memory, recall, multiplication table
  • Lead-in keywords: Which type
  • Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QicIwTtWtjqUYS56KyaZmu

Reference Book

E6 Psychology Baron Misra 5e Part 1 pp. 213-215, 211-213

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 2529-2531

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