The research that was decided is similar to that of Bowers study (1972) to see whether imagery (elaborative) or maintenance (Rote rehearsal) is most likely to aid recall. In the Null Hypothesis there will be no significant difference between the twenty numbers of noun words recalled between group A (control) or group B (experimental) and any difference that was found will be due to chance alone. But, in the Alternative Hypothesis, which is a one tailed hypothesis. There will be a significant difference between the recall of the twenty noun words recalled by group B as during their rehearsal they were given an independent variable, where a mnemonic device was introduced. Therefore the predicting result should be group A will recall a certain amount of words. But, group B will have a significant increase of words recalled using the elaborative method.
Method
Design
The experimental research method used was an independent groups design. This was set up to control for order effects such as a repeated measures design. This would involve all the participants taking part in all conditions within the experiment. Meaning the participant who had done the control version, could also do the experimental version if need be. The independent variable was the use of an elaborative coding device being introduced to group B in this research, and in return the dependant variable would measure the differences between the outcomes of the two conditions. A confounding variable may occur forcing the experiment in a different direction. And this variable may consist of demand characteristics. Suggesting that the participant is behaving in a certain way, because he or she thinks that’s what the researcher wants. The demand characteristic variable can be controlled by a single blind technique by introducing a set of standardized instructions. This is where both the control group, and the experimental group receive their instructions in the same way.
Participants
The subjects taking part within this experiment are people within the residential area of Helston town (Cornwall); they are also representing a small equivalent of the population by taking part in this study. Opportunity sampling was chosen, because this method suggests that the population under study stands the exact same chance of being selected. Also in this research there will be 15 participants representing the control group where within this group will have no introduction of a variable to alter their overall result of recall. But within the experimental group, which also consists of 15 participants the researcher will have introduced a variable that will change group B’s overall results. The opportunity sampling method was chosen because this was less time consuming than any of the other samples. Some of the other sampling methods consisted of collecting data, and specializing in a particular area of research. There was simply not enough time available to do those types of research methods.
Deception could be an ethical issue to consider during this research, because even though written consent was collected at the end of the experiment, the researcher could still withhold information from the participant, whilst the experiment had begun. This may consist of omitting to tell them some important aspect of the research. To quash this issue a written standardized instructions form was read out to the participant before the research began. The standardized instructions are stated in Appendix 1. The British Psychology Association (BPA) made up a code of conduct that was legalized because of violation in research that had taken place in the past.
Materials
The researcher wrote down a list of twenty noun syllabus words from the board as a class exercise. Each individual wrote those words down on paper, then folded each word then placed them all in the bin. Then each member of the class selected twenty words from the bin and they were then incorporated into this research. Then each class member processed them on a larger scale through the computer. A word example;
HOME
The twenty words were then hand shuffled into an order then pasted onto a five by four card. On the back of the cards they were numbered from one to twenty. Then by using a watch the researcher could time the participant looking at the cards for approximately five seconds per word. Then each individual were given a pen and paper to write down how many of the words they could recall. The researcher would time them for approximately two minutes to do so. List of twenty noun syllabus words are shown in Appendix 2.
The aim of this research was that we asked thirty individuals from the residential area of Helston town to take part in a memory, maintenance and elaborative rehearsal test. Fifteen represented (group A) control group and fifteen represented (group B) experimental group. Each participant were taken into a quite room where they were shown and read a list of twenty noun syllabus words by the researcher who was standing 3ft away. The words were on cards numbered one to twenty, and were shown one card containing a word at approximately five-second intervals. Condition A- who are the control group were read the standardized instructions by the researcher. Who then asked them to write down as many of the noun words they could recall from the list, being timed two minutes to do so. Condition B- who are the experimental group, also had the researcher read the standardized instructions to them, but they had a variable introduced. This consisted of the researcher telling the experimental participants to visualize or make up a story consisting of the words they were about to be shown. Then the researcher asked them to write down as many as they could. Timing these participants also for two minutes. After the experiment had taken place the researcher must make sure that on their consent form, each participant in both of the groups. Has a number representing, the individuals participation also the participants gender as well as their signature. This confirms that they have read and understood the guidelines. Always make sure that the participant was fully debriefed and thanked for taking part in the research.
The graph results above shows that both conditions had a similar amount of correct recall. Rote rehearsal most frequent result was 10 and imagery’s most frequent result was 15.
SUMMARY RESULTS
Verbal Summary
Statistically both conditions had scores that distributed in more or less the same direction when the median and range were calculated. Rote rehearsal had a median value =10, and a range value = 10 (rote). The calculation for imagery in the median value = 14, and it had a range value = 9 (imagery). The results shown in the summary chart above, show the mean value for rote = 11.30 and the SD value = 2.47 (rote). Also the summary chart shows the mean value for imagery = 13.07 and the SD value =3.20 (imagery). These results conclude that imagery has a higher rate of correct recall compared to rote rehearsal. All calculations are shown in appendix 5.
Discussion
The results are statistically significant to my Hypothesis that I predicted in the introduction. When I suggested there would be a significant difference in the recall of words from the imagery group, which concluded in rejecting the null Hypothesis. The data concluded that even though there was a greater amount of words recalled by imagery. Rote rehearsal had a mean value =11.13 this was considerably close to the imagery mean value=13.07. It was not until the standardized deviation (S.D) was calculated that both conditions went in separate directions. This research and its results were similar to what Bowers (1972) discovered in his experiment. As he suggested that by using a mental image of unrelated noun words you can get a person to memorize the words. Bowers also said that the more bizarre the image the better recall e.g. Dog riding Bicycle. I also discovered some truth in this. As the people who were representing imagery did put the words in a context of a story using it as a form of bizarre imagery e.g. Rat was wearing a Hat.
Although confident that the results related to the Hypothesis. There were limitations within this experiment. One limitation was there is no control over how the rote rehearsal participants recalled the words e.g. they may have recalled the words by introducing a visual story without being told to do so. Looking back at the results chart or graph. This may have been the case with participant number 9 from the rote group. Another is the environmental issue’s where the experiment took place. As this research was set up in a number of different surroundings. This was considered because a lot of the participants taking part were tested within their own homes, where a number of extraneous variables could have occurred e.g. noise levels, caused by people talking in the background, radio or TV on. Which can influence their overall recall. Both limitations could be controlled more if the research was placed within a laboratory setting where the extraneous variables would not effect the purity of the cause and effect relationships can be established. If this research was to be replicated a practical suggesting would be to set up the research in a laboratory setting. As this would enable the researcher to measure the behavior between both conditions, and also in a laboratory the researcher will be able to eliminate many of the extraneous variables that occurred during this experiment e.g. noise in the background ,distractions and the nature of the participant themselves. A suggestion for a further research from these results conducted. Would be to introduce a variable consisting of different age groups. Whether a 59 year old would be able to recall more words than a 16 year old. We could select again two different conditions such as imagery and rote rehearsal placing a selection of participants ranging from 16 to 59 to see who has a greater recall.
Some of the implications that can be drawn from this case study. Are that imagery has been a great asset in assisting children to learn. Even from an early age a child will be shown objects of different shapes and sizes and colours to help develop their minds. In schools and colleges today, many subjects are taught with a visual or imagery prospectus. Helping pupils and students to retain more information. Every day there is some form of imagery to help us retain information e.g. watching TV, reading magazines and even to carry out a conversation with someone near by.
Appendix 1. STANDARDIZED INSTRUCTIONS
Rote rehearsal
I am a part time student at Truro College studying Psychology. I would like you to if possible to take part in a field experiment to see whether imagery or rote rehearsal is important for remembering. What you are about to see are twenty noun syllabus words on cards numbered from 1-20, and I would like you to remember as many as possible. Then you will have two minutes to write down as many as you can recall. All questions and queries from this experiment will be answered at the end.
THANKYOU FOR TAKING PART IN THIS RESEARCH.
Imagery
I am a part time student at Truro College studying Psychology. I would like you to if possible to take part in a field experiment to see whether imagery or rote rehearsal is important for remembering. What you are about to see are twenty noun syllabus words on cards numbered from 1-20, and I would like you to remember as many as possible. Then you will have two minutes to write them down as many as you can recall. (A variable is introduced) I would suggest that you make up a visual story or image to help you to remember more words .All questions and queries from this experiment will be answered at the end.
THANKYOU FOR TAKING PART IN THIS RESEARCH.
Appendix 2
This is the list of the twenty noun words that were presented to each participant. They were written in bold times new roman size 72 font.
- HOME
- SUN
- TREE
- DOG
- CAR
- CHAIR
- SHOP
- SHOE
- STAIR
- GLASS
- EGG
- BOX
- BALL
- CAT
- ROOM
- RAT
- HAT
- GRASS
- PEN
- PUB
Appendix 3
This is a written example of a participant representing rote rehearsal.
APPENDIX 4
This is a written example from a participant representing imagery;
APPENDIX 5 SUMMARY OF STATISTICS AND CALCULATIONS
Raw data
APPENDIX 5 continued
Calculations
All calculations are correct to two decimal places:
Formula for Standardized Deviation (SD) = E X2 – (EX)2
_________n__
n - 1
E= SUM of
X= Participants Score
n = Number of participants
ROTE: Standardized Deviation (SD) = 1945 – 27889
_________15__
14
Standardized Deviation (SD) = 1945 – 1859.27
_________
14
Standardized Deviation (SD) = 85.73
14
Standardized Deviation (SD) = 6.12
Therefore the ANS = 2.47
IMAGERY: Standardized Deviation (SD) = 2704 – 38416
_________15__
14
Standardized Deviation (SD) = 2704 – 2561.07
_________
14
Standardized Deviation (SD) = 142.93
14
Standardized Deviation (SD) = 10.21
Therefore the ANS = 3.20
Appendix 6
This is a written example of a participant representing rote rehearsal.
APPENDIX 7
This is a written example from a participant representing imagery;
REFERENCES
CARDWELL (1996) Memory Introduction, A-Z PSYCHOLOGY HAND BOOK,
SECOND EDITION
GROSS (2001) Atkinson & Shiffrin’s (1968) Multi- Store Model, PSYCHOLOGY THE
SCIENCE OF MIND AND BEHAVIOUR,
FOURTH EDITION
GROSS (2001) Rehearsal & Maintanence, PSYCHOLOGY THE SCIENCE OF MIND
AND BEHAVIOUR, FOURTH EDITION
GROSS (2001) Bowers Study, PSYCHOLOGY THE SCIENCE OF MIND AND
BEHAVIOUR, FOURTH EDITION
LONGMANS (1996) Atkinson & Shiffrin’s (1968) Multi- Store Model Diagram,
LONGMANS STUDY GCSE
ROTH (1990) Mnenomics & Organization Method of Loci, OPEN UNIVERSITY
UNIT 2 VOLUME 2
