A1f2 Bartlett (1932): schemas and remembering stories

Question 1

Serial reproduction

Answer 1

A task where a piece of information is passed from one participant to the next in a chain or ‘series’. Differences between each version are measured.

Question 2

Repeated reproduction

Answer 2

a task where the participant is given a story or picture to remember. THen they try and recall it several times after time delays. Differences between each version are measured

Question 3

Bartlett (1932) serial reproduction task

Answer 3

The first participant read the story “the War of the Ghosts” to themselves twice at normal reading speed. They then waited 15- 30 minutes before telling the story to the next participant. This was done over ten people and done with several chains of participants.

Question 4

Bartlett (1932) repeated reproduction task

Answer 4

Each participant was tested separately. They read the story twice at normal reading speed and gave the first reproduction after 15 minutes. They could not look at the original story. Later reproductions were done at different intervals for different participants (20 hours, 8 days, a year etc.). They could not look at their previous reproductions.

Question 5

Findings of Bartlett (1932)

Answer 5

Very few participants recalled the story accurately. There were patterns in the errors:

1) Form- once a story has a particular outline it sticks, e.g the order of events
2) Details- Names and numbers were lost. If remembered they become stereotyped and match the participant’s interests/ expectations
3) Simplification- Events are made less complex and details left out or made more familiar.
4) Addition- Inaccurate details put in, e.g someone made a fire to cook his breakfast

Question 6

Strengths of Bartlett (1932)

Answer 6

1) Both repeated and serial reproduction tasks were done man times, this showed the changes followed the same patterns
2) Other stories also used in the serial reproduction- shows its not special to “war of the ghosts”

Question 7

Weaknesses of Bartlett (1932)

Answer 7

1) Unfamiliar material was used and the same results might not be true of familiar material
2) Bartlett didn’t always test the repeated reproduction participants after the same time intervals- changes over time can’t be compared fairly