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Grant's study of context-dependent memory - Coggle Diagram
Grant's study of context-dependent memory
AIM
to investigate context-dependent memory on both recall and recognition
RESULTS
RECALL TEST (out of 10)
silent-silent = 6.7
silent-noisy = 5.4
noisy-silent = 4.6
noisy-noisy = 6.2
RECOGNITION TEST (out of 16)
silent-silent = 14.3
silent-noisy = 12.7
noisy-silent = 12.7
noisy-noisy = 14.3
METHOD
IV = background noise, independent measures design
TASK
pps read a two page article and tested on their memory in terms of recall (short-answers) and recognition (multiple choice)
PARTICIPANTS
39 pps (8 psychology students who each recruited 5 acquaintances)
TEST CONDITIONS
silent study - silent test conditions
silent study - noisy test conditions
noisy study - silent test conditions
noisy study - noisy test conditions
MATERIALS
each experimenter provided their own cassette tape and headphones
"noisy" condition plagued at a loud level (recording of lunchtime at a uni)
pps read an article on psychoimmunology
The Recognition Test = 16 mcq each with 4 choices
Recall Test = 10 short answer questions
info in test followed info in article
recall test was taken first to avoid info being recalled from the mcq
PROCEDURE
pps were read aloud standardised instructions and then read the article, all wore headphones however only those in the noisy conditions had sound played to them. They then had a break of 2 minutes and rested without headphones on, then took the test
EVALUATIONS
METHOD: controlled lab experiment however could challenge design validity as independent measures could allow for individual differences
DATA: collected quantitative data that can easily be summarised and compared between conditions
ETHICS: consent obtained and briefed about task before and after
VALDITIY: high design validity due to lab conditions and standardised apparatus and procedure, also number of controls put in place
ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY: more ecologically valid than most studies on this content, task similar to class work
RELIABILITY: study could easily be replicated and tested for test-retest reliabilty
SAMPLE: opportunity sample, convenient but also could lead to biases
ETHNOCENTRISM: could argue that it is not ethnocentric as it depends on physiognomy but it was conducted in America so may not be valid universally
SCIENCE: lab conditions so scientific
USEFULNESS: helps students study for exams
INDIVIDUAL/SITUATIONAL: suggests performance is affected by situational factors
CONCLUSIONS
there are context-dependency effects for newly learned meaningful material, with the best performance being achieved when studying and testing take place in similar noise environments