Question

The letters Y, M, O, M, R, E are presented. Jill remembers them by rearranging them to spell the word "MEMORY." This provides an illustration of

A) chunking.
B) automatic processing.
C) the spacing effect.
D) the peg-word system

Answer 1

Jill's rearrangement of the letters Y, M, O, M, R, and E to spell 'MEMORY' exemplifies the concept of chunking, which organizes information into manageable and memorable chunks to enhance memory retention. The correct option is A) chunking.

Step-by-step explanation:

The letters Y, M, O, M, R, and E, which Jill rearranges to spell the word "memory," illustrate chunking. Chunking is a memory strategy where information is organized into manageable bits or chunks to make it easier to remember.

For example, when trying to recall a phone number, instead of remembering a long string of numbers, one might group them into smaller chunks, like 520-555-0467, to enhance memorization. This is similar to what Jill did by rearranging the letters into a familiar word, thus facilitating retrieval of the information from memory.

This method is different from automatic processing, which involves encoding details without conscious awareness, and doesn't align with the spacing effect, which relates to spreading out learning over time. It is also distinct from the peg-word system, which is another type of mnemonic device that associates numbers with items that rhyme with or resemble the numbers.