Cognitive Psychology and Memory - Assignment Example

 Examples of non-declarative memory include skills such as riding a bicycle, swimming, and how to drive a car. These memories enable a person to execute tasks and exhibit skills effortlessly, which seems like a natural aspect to the individual.

            Classical conditioning or respondent conditioning is an approach to learning where a response is garnered after a stimulus is introduced. These responses are different depending on what they initiate, whether a reward or punishment (Robinson-Riegler & Robinson-Riegler, 2012). Responses can be either conditioned/learned or unconditioned/impromptu. Classical conditioning is dependent on the persistence or frequency of the stimulus that produces a desired response. People have different reactions to classical conditioning, but failure to produce an initially produced response illustrates a weakness in the stimulus. In classical conditioning, the stimulus can only be strengthened by higher frequencies being directed toward the respondent to ensure long-term effects. Lack of this can be construed to indicate forgetfulness on the part of the respondent.

            Proactive interference is characterized by difficulties in learning or absorbing new information because of existing information. An example of this phenomenon is when one encounters an automatic car for the first time; being used to a manual car makes it difficult not to use the left foot to apply the brakes. Learning a new language like Portuguese is difficult because one keeps on applying their native language’s grammar to the new one. Retroactive interference on the other hand occurs because new information acquired later conflicts with other earlier learnt material. An example of this can be illustrated by learning a new dance move that affects someone’s dancing skills in Salsa. Participating in a game of volleyball and learning its rules can confuse a basketball player and affect his performance in basketball.

            The answer to the question is the availability heuristic, which enables Mr. Young to immediately make his conclusion and decision about climate change and its effects. Mr. Young was able to reach his conclusion because he used stimulus and information from the picture to draw his conclusion about climate change (Robinson-Riegler & Robinson-Riegler, 2012). Confirmation bias cannot be an answer because Mr. Young does not need to absorb or accept information from the picture. After all, it affirms his beliefs. Representative heuristics do not qualify to represent what Mr. Young went through. This is because there is no indication that he had come across such information in the past to influence his decision in the present. Fixation and overconfidence do not qualify to explain Mr. Young’s response because there is no indication that he was concerned with the climate for him to be fixated. Mr. Young is not overconfident in a manner that can be regarded as overly sure of the facts represented in the picture.