Classic Study: Baddeley (1966) Flashcards
What was the aim of Baddeley’s study?
- To investigate whether LTM encodes acoustically or semantically
- To investigate if acoustically similar words would lead to more impairment in the LTM than semantically similar
Who were used in the sample?
- 72 males and females
- From ‘Applied Psychology Research Unit’ in Cambridge
What type of method was used?
Lab
What did ‘Condition A’ entail?
Ppts learned a list of 10 acoustically similar words
e.g. man, can
What did ‘Condition B’ entail?
Ppts learned a list of 10 acoustically dissimilar words
e.g. pit, few
What did ‘Condition C’ entail?
Ppts learned a list 10 semantically similar words
e.g. large, big
What did ‘Condition D’ entail?
Ppts learned a list of 10 semantically dissimilar words
e.g. good, hot
Briefly describe the procedure of this classic study.
- Experiment 3
- Condition A involved 10 acoustically similar words (e.g. man, can)
- Condition B involved 10 acoustically dissimilar words (e.g. pit, few)
- Condition C involved 10 semantically similar words (e.g. large, big)
- Condition B involved 10 semantically dissimilar words (e.g. good, hot)
- Each list of 10 words were presented on a projector in a set order, one word every 3 seconds
- Afterwards the 72 ppts from the ‘Applied Psychology Research Unit’ at Cambridge were asked to complete 6 tasks involving memory for digits to prevent rehearsal
- They were then given 1 min to recall the words in order
- This was repeated over 4 trials
- After the 4 trials the groups were given a 15 minute interference task involving copying 8 digit sequences
- Ppts were then given a surprise retest on the word sequence of their condition
What was the IV and DV?
IV = Acoustically/semantically similar/dissimilar word lists DV = Number of words recalled in the correct order
Why did it get repeated over 4 trials?
To make sure the learned words were in the ppts’ LTM by trials 3 and 4.
What were the results of Baddeley’s study?
- Around 40% of people recalled acoustically similar words correctly in trial 2 compared to 60% for acoustically dissimilar words
- Around 50% of semantically similar words were recalled in trial 4 compared to 85% of semantically dissimilar which was a significant difference
- None of the conditions showed any significant further forgetting between trial 4 and the retest
Describe the conclusion of this experiment.
- Ppts found it harder to recall acoustic similarity
- This shows that STM is largely acoustic as similar words were harder to encode to LTM
- Ppts found it harder to recall semantically similar words
- This shows that encoding in LTM is largely semantic
- Therefore this study demonstrates how STM and LTM are affected differently by different types of encoding
Evaluate the generalisablity using a high and low point.
P - High
E - We assume that memory is universal
E - Therefore the results and conclusions should be true for all individuals
P - Low
E - Used a sample of 72 student volunteers from Britain
E - Therefore ethnocentric as not representative of difference in word structure in other countries and not representative to people with brain damage may have affected memory
Evaluate the reliability using 2 high points.
P - High
E - Follows a standardised procedure (e.g. one word every 3 seconds with controls of the same order of word for ppts in the same condition)
E - Easy to replicate and test for consistency
P - High
E - Uses quantitative data of how many words remembered in the different word lists of acoustic and semantic
E - This means that the data is easier to compare, is objective and scientific
Are there any applications?
P - Yes
E - Can be used to inform students on revision techniques as the study suggests that LTM encodes semantically
E - Therefore the advice to students is to use methods such as mindmaps and revision cards that create semantic links instead of re-reading notes as the information will more likely encode in LTM if semantic
