Psychology: Memory Accuracy
- Created by: cheryllee
- Created on: 24-05-19 14:31
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- Memory: Accuracy
- Bartlett Study
- Aim
- To investigate how memory is reconstructed when people is ask to recall something repeatedly after weeks and months
- To use a story from a different culture to see how cultural expectations affects memory
- Method / Procedure
- Bartlett used the serial reproduction technique for this study
- He showed the first set of participants the original War of the Ghosts study and as them to recall it.
- The 'new' version (the recalled version) is then said to the next group of participants and so on)
- Participants recall the story 15 minutes later
- He showed the first set of participants the original War of the Ghosts study and as them to recall it.
- Participants were all related to him and from the UK
- Bartlett used the serial reproduction technique for this study
- Results
- The story was shortened (Mainly by omissions)
- Phrases used were changed to so that the participants could understand it better (e.g. canoe was changed to boat)
- The recalled version soon became very fixed but each time the story was recalled there are slight variations
- Conclusion
- We recall fragments of the information
- Evaluation
- Strength: More realistic research
- This study does not use artificial task (e.g. memorising word lists) to find its result, instead it uses a more realistic task (task that shows how we use our memory in our day to day life)
- This shows that Bartlett's findings are more relevant to real-life memory process
- This study does not use artificial task (e.g. memorising word lists) to find its result, instead it uses a more realistic task (task that shows how we use our memory in our day to day life)
- Strength: Real World Applications
- Eye-Witness Testimony were used as an important and reliable piece of information in court
- research by Bartlett has shown that our memory are not always accurate as we changed them due to our expectations, later evidence has also shown that eyewitness testimony don't always recall what they see
- This shows that Bartlett's study has an important consequence
- research by Bartlett has shown that our memory are not always accurate as we changed them due to our expectations, later evidence has also shown that eyewitness testimony don't always recall what they see
- Eye-Witness Testimony were used as an important and reliable piece of information in court
- Limitation: The study lacks control
- Participants were not given clear instruction on what they should do
- A later research shows that participants could recall more accurately when participants were told
- This suggests that the recall was probably more accurate than what Bartlett suggested
- Limitation: The results could be biased
- Bartlett's own beliefs could have affected the results as the conclusions depends on how you interpret the results
- therefore, we cannot fully trusts this study
- Bartlett's own beliefs could have affected the results as the conclusions depends on how you interpret the results
- Limitation: The story was unusual
- Some might argue that Bartlett used artificial task because the story was unusual and it's not everyday we hear an unusual story and try to remember it
- Therefore, this study tells us very little about everyday memory
- Some might argue that Bartlett used artificial task because the story was unusual and it's not everyday we hear an unusual story and try to remember it
- Strength: More realistic research
- Aim
- Reconstructive Memory
- McGeoch and McDonald: Interference
- Aim
- To see what effect the second activity has on the accuracy of memory
- Procedure / Method
- Twelve participants had to remember a list of words until they could remember them with 100% accuracy
- Results
- Order of Result: from the least recall to the most recall
- synonyms, antonyms, random words, nonsense syllables, numbers, controlled group
- Order of Result: from the least recall to the most recall
- Conclusion
- Interference is higher when the intervening information is similar to the original information
- Evaluation
- Strength: A controlled research
- participants were not given the two list in the same order, some had a different original lists than the others, this could make sure that no extraneous variable was affecting the results
- this adds validity to the study
- participants were not given the two list in the same order, some had a different original lists than the others, this could make sure that no extraneous variable was affecting the results
- Limitation: uses artifitial task
- memorising word lists is not what we do in our day to day life
- therefore, the study only show us a limited condition
- memorising word lists is not what we do in our day to day life
- limitation: Interference doesn't really explain forgetting
- In another research, participants were given cued calls to recall the original information, the accuracy of recall was higher
- this suggests that the information was not forgotten, it was just harder to retrieve
- In another research, participants were given cued calls to recall the original information, the accuracy of recall was higher
- Strength: A controlled research
- Aim
- Loftus and Pickrell: False Memories
- Aim
- To see if false memories can be created through suggestions
- In order to test the existence of repressed and false memories
- To see if false memories can be created through suggestions
- Procedure / Method
- The study had 24 participants (3 males and 21 females)
- Participants were given 4 short stories about their childhood (obtained from their relatives), 3 of the stories were true, 1 was false
- The false story was about getting lost in the mall, and rescued by an elderly woman
- the story sounded realistic to the participant as it contain information about the participant (e.g. what their favourite store was)
- Participants had to read the story and write down what they remember of the event
- A week or two later, participants were interviewed and ask to recall as much as they could about the stories
- They were interviewed a second time, and was debriefed
- they were told that one of the story was false and asked to guess which one
- They were interviewed a second time, and was debriefed
- A week or two later, participants were interviewed and ask to recall as much as they could about the stories
- Participants had to read the story and write down what they remember of the event
- the story sounded realistic to the participant as it contain information about the participant (e.g. what their favourite store was)
- The false story was about getting lost in the mall, and rescued by an elderly woman
- Participants were given 4 short stories about their childhood (obtained from their relatives), 3 of the stories were true, 1 was false
- The study had 24 participants (3 males and 21 females)
- Results
- There were 72 true stories in total and 68% was remembered by participants
- Conclusion
- imagining an event could potentially create and implant a false memory in a person
- Evaluation
- Strength: Real world application
- When eyewitnesses are interviewed by the police, police could unconciously ask questions that migh potentially cause the eyewitness to create a false memory
- This research has help to change how the court deal with eyewitnesses (they are no longer as reliable as they were)
- When eyewitnesses are interviewed by the police, police could unconciously ask questions that migh potentially cause the eyewitness to create a false memory
- Limitation: Ethical Issue
- Even after debriefed, it is possible that participants are left with a lingering sense of what happen, and might hurt their conscience
- Therefore, this research raises ethical issue of whether this research is of sufficient importance to manipulate its participants
- Even after debriefed, it is possible that participants are left with a lingering sense of what happen, and might hurt their conscience
- Limitation: Artificial Task
- The lost in the mall story is not the same kind of traumatic event that might be recovered by a therapist
- It could be that harmless events can be implanted by we cannot say the same to more traumatic and memorable events
- Therefore, the conclusions that can be drawn by this study is limited
- Strength: Real world application
- Aim
- Bartlett Study
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