Aeon Based RC- 4 | Verbal Ability (VA) & Reading Comprehension (RC) - CAT PDF Download

Déjà vu, the eerie sense that something new has been experienced before, has confounded us for hundreds of years. Philosophers, physicians, intellectuals, and scientists have all delved into this phenomenon. Theories explaining déjà vu have ranged from double perception and dissolution of perceptual boundaries to seizure activity and memory-based explanations. Recent research suggests that déjà vu might be a mechanism for focusing attention, possibly an adaptive mechanism for survival shaped by evolution.

The psychologist Alan S Brown, in his paper ‘A Review of the Déjà Vu Experience’ (2003), provided a comprehensive overview of déjà vu. He determined that roughly two-thirds of people experience déjà vu at some point in their lives, with the likelihood decreasing with age. Physical settings or places are often triggers. This insight led to a new theoretical approach to autobiographical and event memory, emphasizing the role of scenes in recollective memory ability. The Method of Loci, a memorization technique, effectively uses this concept by envisioning information within particular scenes.

Brown’s review also mentioned the ‘Gestalt familiarity hypothesis’ – the theory that déjà vu results from a familiar arrangement of elements within a space. This hypothesis links to the ‘source-monitoring framework’ in memory studies, where a person recognizes a situation as familiar without pinpointing the source. This hypothesis was tested using a variant of the recognition without recall method, involving black-and-white line drawings that shared an overall ‘Gestalt’ with previously viewed images. Participants attempted to recall a previously viewed image having a similar arrangement and rated how familiar the test image seemed, often reporting déjà vu.

Further exploration into déjà vu involved virtual reality (VR). Participants wearing VR headsets were immersed in different sets of visual surroundings, later tested with new scenes sharing spatial layouts with scenes from the study phase. This method aimed to mimic real-life situations where déjà vu occurs.

The research also delved into the sensation of knowing what will happen next during déjà vu. An experiment using the Sims 2 video game platform involved participants viewing video tours of scenes, then predicting the direction of the next turn in the tour. The study aimed to test if déjà vu could enhance the ability to predict events, but the hypothesis was not supported.

In conclusion, the research suggests that déjà vu may produce a feeling of being on the verge of retrieving a past experience from memory, leading to the belief that one can identify what will happen next. This sensation, however, does not necessarily translate into accurate predictions.
Q1: According to the passage, what is the primary trigger for déjà vu experiences?
(a) Conversations with others
(b) Physical settings or places
(c) Specific people
(d) Certain smells

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Q2: The ‘Gestalt familiarity hypothesis’ mentioned in the passage suggests that déjà vu occurs due to:
(a) A familiar arrangement of elements within a space
(b) A specific recollection of a past event
(c) Seizure activity in the brain
(d) A double perception phenomenon

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Q3: What role does the Method of Loci play in the context of déjà vu, as discussed in the passage?
(a) It is a technique to induce déjà vu in individuals.
(b) It demonstrates the importance of scenes in memory recollection.
(c) It is used to treat people experiencing frequent déjà vu.
(d) It provides a framework for understanding seizure activity.

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Q4: In the experiments involving VR, what was the primary objective?
(a) To test the ability of participants to navigate virtual environments
(b) To explore the connection between déjà vu and spatial layouts
(c) To improve VR technology for psychological research
(d) To induce seizure activity for study

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Q5: The passage suggests that déjà vu might be:
(a) A reliable predictor of future events
(b) An adaptive mechanism for survival
(c) A result of paranormal activity
(d) A manifestation of psychological disorders

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Q6: What was the outcome of the experiment using the Sims 2 video game platform?
(a) It confirmed that déjà vu enhances predictive abilities.
(b) It showed no support for the hypothesis being tested.
(c) It led to a new treatment for déjà vu.
(d) It proved the connection between déjà vu and memory recall.

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