Newcomer et al ERQ

Question 1

What can this study be used for?

Answer 1

Hormones

Question 2

Year

Answer 2

1999

Question 3

Aim

Answer 3

Investigate whether high levels of the stress hormone cortisol interfere with verbal declarative memory.

Question 4

Experimental design

Answer 4

Laboratory experiment; double blind; matched pairs design

Question 5

Procedure

Answer 5

3 conditions:
1. HIGH CORTISOL: 160mg cortisol tablet each day of the 4 level experiment
2. LOW CORTISOL: 40mg cortisol per day
3. PLACEBO: tablet with no active ingredient

Participants were asked to listen and recall a prose paragraph. Each day they were given a different prose with the same level of difficulty. Tested three times.

Participants were tested prior to the experiment, on day one and then 4 days later. There was a test 6 dats later to make sure there were no lasting effects of the treatment.

Question 6

Participants

Answer 6

Employees or students at a medical centre

Question 7

Results

Answer 7

• High cortisol levels impaired memory, however not permanently
• Clear ling between cortisol and memory
• Placebo and low dose groups had no significant differences

Question 8

Evaluation

Answer 8

☑️ Cause-effect relationship
☑️ Baseline test eliminated participant variability
🚫 Several days, participants not in the laboratory so extraneous variables aren’t controlled
☑️ Use of different texts was counterbalanced
🚫 Limited genaralizability and ecological validity
🚫 Ethica considerations: invasive, temporary discomfort, but no permanent damage