Memory Core Study, Terry (2005) and limitations Flashcards
What was the aim of Terry’s lab experiment?
To show that memory is affected by time and space.
What does the terry lab experiment support?
The multi-store model
What was Terry’s procedure (about the adverts)?
Using tv commercials about 10 months old each for a different product, and shown for about 30 seconds long and presented in groups of fifteen. He varied the order the adverts were shown in.
Describe Terry’s procedure (everything else).
He used 39 participants.
A repeated measures design, participants in both conditions.
Independent variable was whether participants recalled the adverts immediately after or whether they recalled them after a delay. The delay was a 3 min written task.
The dependent variable was how many brands they could recall in any order in each condition.
What effect did Terry’s results show?
The serial position effect.
What results occurred when they had to recall the brands straight away?
There was a primary effect and a recently effect. Overall they showed good recall of the first few adverts (primary) and the last few adverts (recency). This supports the multi-store model as it shows the importance of time and space. The first few were remembered as there was time to rehearse them and put them in LTM and the last ones were still recent and still in STM and were either recalled instantly or transferred to LTM.
The middle ones (4-12) weren’t remembered well, they were forgotten due to displacement in the STM- no space. Or decay as they couldn’t be rehearsed and transferred to LTM.
What results occurred when the had to recall the brands after a desaturation (written) task?
There was a primary effect but no recency. The first few were still remembered as they had transferred to LTM. However the written task meant they could rehearse the last few in STM. The task meant they had been displaced or decayed.
What was Terry’s conclusion?
The memory of a tv advert is affected by their serial position and not there meaning. Whatever the advert it is poorly recall if it was in the middle because the memory had run out of time and space.
Laboratory experiments lack….?
Lab experiment lack ecological validity. Carried out in artificial settings and don’t reflect real life; in the experiment they were able to give more attention to the adverts than they normally would due to distractions at home eg friends/ family, phone, laptop, food.
Experiments often lack….?
Experiments often lack construct validity. Experiments take a narrow measure of what’s being investigated. (Memory) they is more to memory than remembering adverts.
Experiments have the problem of….?
Experiments have the problem of demand characteristics. It’s clear from cues what the researcher is investigating. They knew they were being experimented on and may have tried to help terry. After the written task they could have realised it was meant to effect memory and not recalled the last few on purpose.
