evaluation of Baddeley et al. (1966b)

Question 1

strength of the study ?

Answer 1

1) high internal validity (used well controlled procedures)
2) for example the words in all four lists were matched on the frequency that the words appear in English, this meant that the results could not be explained by ppts being able to remember more familiar words.
3) this degree of control is a strength because it removes potential confounding variables that would lower internal validity

Question 2

what’s a weakness of the study ?

Answer 2

1) low external validity
2) the experiments were so tightly controlled that they were artificial and unlike real life
3) for example, in real life, LTM and STM probably do interact-but Baddeley saw this as a confounding variable
4) encoding in the study may not be the same as in real life

Question 3

application of the study ?

Answer 3

1) understanding that encoding in the LTM is mostly semantic can help to improve long-term recall of information
2) this is useful for students revising for exams- rather than repeating information (rehearsal), students are advised to reorganise it in things such as mind maps and try to relate it to things they already know about.
3) this is a strength because it shows that Baddeley’s study has validity in terms of being applicable to real-life situations.