memory studies

Question 1

What is the aim of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 1

To see if there was a difference in the type of encoding used in STM and LTM

Question 2

What is the method of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 2

Participants learned words either similar or dissimilar sounding. They then had to recall them after 20 minutes

Question 3

What is the results of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 3

Words with similar sounds were poorly recalled in STM and words with similar meanings were poorly recalled in LTM.

Question 4

What is the conclusion of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 4

This shows STM is encoded through sound and LTM is encoded through meaning

Question 5

What is the evaluation of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 5

One strenght is that It is well controlled as extraneous variables like participants hearing were controlled by a hearing test
One weakness is that Encoding in STM does not always involve sound
One weakness is that LTM may not be tested as they only waited 20 minutes before recall so conclusion may lack validity

Question 6

What is the aim of murdock’s study?

Answer 6

To see if memory of words is affected by location in a list

Question 7

What is the method of murdock’s study?

Answer 7

Participants listened to 20 word lists with 10-40 words on them,recalled words after each list

Question 8

What is the results of murdock’s study?

Answer 8

Recall related to position of words. Higher recall for the first words (primacy effect) and last words (recency effect) than in middle

Question 9

What is the conclusion of murdock’s study?

Answer 9

Shows the serial position effect and supports the MSM stores

Question 10

What is the evaluation of murdock’s study?

Answer 10

There was a high level of control so it could be concluded that the position of words determined recall.

Word lists were used which is only one type of memory,so the study lacks validity.

Some amnesiacs can’t store LTM, which shows that the primacy effect is related to LTM

Question 11

What is the aim of Bartlet’s war of the Ghost study?

Answer 11

To see how memory is reconstructed when recalling an unfamiliar story

Question 12

What is the Method of Barltet’s war of the Ghost study?

Answer 12

The war of the ghost story was read by one participant and recalled after 15 minutes,then read by another participant and recalled and so on.

Question 13

What is the results of Bartlet’s war of the Ghost study?

Answer 13

Participants changed the story to fit cultural expectations, leaving out unfamiliar information.

Question 14

What is the conclusion of Bartlet’s war of the Ghost study?

Answer 14

We use our knowledge of social situations to reconstruct memory

Question 15

What is the evaluation of Bartlet’s war of the Ghost study?

Answer 15

Lacks control-Participants were not told accurate recall was important which could have affected results.
Results were biassed-Barlett analysed the recollations himself so we cannot fully trust the conclusion
Story was unusual-The story was unusual so people may not have understood it so it wouldn’t be about their memory but not understanding the story.

Question 16

What is the theory of reconstructive memory?

Answer 16

The theory-People rebuild memory as an active process
Memory is inaccurate-Memory is not a process of exact reproduction of an experience
Record pieces of information,recombine to tell the whole story
Expectations come from the world and our culture which affect our storage and recall

Question 17

What is the evaluation of the theory of reconstrucitve memory?

Answer 17

More realistic research-Reflect how we use memory in everyday life because it uses a story not a word list.

Real world applications-It explains problems with eyewitness testimony as people do not always recall accurately.

Question 18

What was the aim of McGeoch and McDonald’s interference study?

Answer 18

To see the effect on the accuracy of memory when doing 2 activities

Question 19

What was the method of McGeoch and McDonald’s interference study?

Answer 19

Learning a list of 10 words and then another list of varying types ,e.g synonyms and antonyms

Question 20

What was the results of McGeoch and McDonald’s interference study?

Answer 20

Memory was affected by the second list, most of all if the second list had similar meanings (synonyms)

Question 21

What was the conclusion of McGeoch and McDonald’s interference study?

Answer 21

Shows interference affects the accuracy of memory and is strongest when you try to remember two similar things

Question 22

What was the evaluation of McGeoch and McDonald’s interference study?

Answer 22

Controlled research-High control,e.g counterbalance to avoid bias
Artificial task-It doesn’t reflect real life memory as we don’t have to remember very similar words
Not really forgetting-It may be that information isn’t being forgotten it just can’t be accessed

Question 23

What is the aim of Godden and Baddley’s context study?

Answer 23

To see if context improved recall

Question 24

What is the method of Godden and Baddley’s context study?

Answer 24

Divers listened to and recalled words in the same or different settings on the beach and underwater

Question 25

What is the results of Godden and Baddley’s context study?

Answer 25

Recall was highest in the same environment they listened to the words

Question 26

What is the conclusion of Godden and Baddley’s context study?

Answer 26

Context of learning acts as a trigger or cue,improving the accuracy of memory

Question 27

What is the evaluation of Godden and Baddley’s context study?

Answer 27

Artificial task-Lists of words were used. When more complex materials were used,better recall was found
Recall was short term-Participants recalled the words almost immediately after unlike everyday life

Question 28

What is the aim of Loftus and Pickrells false memories study?

Answer 28

To see if false memories could be created in participants through suggestion

Question 29

What is the method of Loftus and Pickrells false memories study?

Answer 29

Participants were told 4 stories about their life,3 true and one false. The false one was that they were lost in a shopping mall.

Question 30

What is the conclusion of Loftus and Pickrells false memories study?

Answer 30

Imaging an event can implant a false memory in a person,reducing accuracy of memory

Question 31

What is the results of Loftus and Pickrells false memories study?

Answer 31

6/24 participants (25%) recalled the false memory either partially or completely

Question 32

What is the evaluation of Loftus and Pickrells false memories study?

Answer 32

Ethical issues-Participants may be left with implanted fake memories which lingered after the study causing distress.
Real world applications-Research has implications for eyewitness testimony as police questioning could accidently implant false memories