Grant Et Al

Question 1

What year was Grant et Al’s study?

Answer 1

1998

Question 2

What is context-dependent memory?

Answer 2

~ The idea that we are able to best recall information in the same context the information was learned in the first place

~ Suggests that when a memory is first formed, features of the environment are encoded with it

Question 3

What was the procedure of Godden and Baddeley’s study?

Answer 3

~Sample of divers leaned list of words in two natural environments (dry land/underwater)

~Then recalled the words in either original learning environment or the alternative environment

Question 4

What were the results if Godden and Baddeleys study?

Answer 4

Lists learned underwater were recalled significantly better underwater and lists learned on dry lands were recalled significantly better on dry land

Question 5

What two studies are the background to Grant et Al’s study?

Answer 5

Godden and Baddeley

Smith

Question 6

What did Smith suggest?

Answer 6

~ While recall can be enhanced by being back in the same context as something was learned, the way it is tested is important

~If it is tested through multiple choice questions, cues from being back in the same environment will be outshone by the information contained within the options a person is given to choose from

~ This is Smiths “outshining” hypothesis

Question 7

What was the aim of Grant et Al’s study?

Answer 7

Find out whether the kind of context-dependency effect that has been reported often for recall but not recognition of unrelated word lists would be seen in relation to the type of meaningful content presented in many academic courses

Question 8

What were the key characteristics of Grant et Al’s sample?

Answer 8

~ Eight student researchers recruited five acquaintances to take part in the study
~ 40 participants aged 17-56
~ 17 females and 23 males
~ Placed in one of four conditions (10 per condition)
~ All tested individually by the person who had recruited them
~ Data only analysed for 39 of the participants as one had atypically low scores

Question 9

What was the procedure of the learning portion of Grant et Al’s study?

Answer 9

~ Read a short article on psychoimmunology
~ Chosen as they thought participants would find it interesting/understandable
~ Studied in either noise or silence
~ Then had a 2-minute break

Question 10

What was the procedure of the testing portion of Grant et Al’s study?

Answer 10

~ Given two sets of questions to answer about the content of the article they read
~ Tested in one of two conditions (noise/silence)
~ All took same tests in the same order:
1. Recall test (10 short-answer questions)
2. Recognition test (16 multiple-choice questions)

Question 11

What were the two conditions of Grant et Al’s study?

Answer 11

Noise - via headphones

Silence - wearing headphones

Question 12

What was the noise condition of Grant et Al’s study?

Answer 12

Background sounds recorded during a lunch time in a university cafeteria played on a cassette player and heard through headphones

Question 13

What were the conclusions of Grant et Al’s study?

Answer 13

~ Participants performed best in the matching conditions

~ Provides support for context-dependent memory
~ Suggesting we remember more when we are back in the same context as when we first learned something