Cognitive practical

Question 1

What is the aim?

Answer 1

To investigate whether using the same or different slave systems (using visual or acoustic
distraction tasks) in the WMM affects the amount of trigrams being able to be recalled.

Question 2

What were the main steps?

Answer 2

1. Participants given 1 minute to look at list of 15 trigrams
2. Half the group were given a word search, the other half given a spot the difference for 2 minutes
3. Participants given 1 minute to recall as many trigrams as they can

Question 3

What stats test did you use and why?

Answer 3

Mann Whitney U
Difference
At least ordinal data
Independent measures

Question 4

Describe the sample of your practical and how they were gathered

Answer 4

30 participants from NSFC gathered through opportunity sampling of people in the Psychology class at the time

Question 5

Describe the results of your cognitive practical

Answer 5

U=18, critical value (p<0.05, one tailed) = 72, showing a significant difference between tasks.
Mean score for word search recall = 7
Mean score for spot the difference recall = 11

Question 6

Give two weaknesses of your cognitive practical

Answer 6

Example answers:
G - all students from NSFC, may have shared characteristics e.g. from North East
V - lacks mundane realism as recalling trigrams does not reflect normal memory

Question 7

Give two strengths of your cognitive

Answer 7

example answers:
R - standardised procedure of all getting same trigrams
A - when doing revision, don’t use same slave-system twice
V - independent measures design means lower chances of order effects impacting recall