Cognitive Practical

Cognitive approach practical

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  • Created by: Lollipop
  • Created on: 09-01-13 20:28

Procedure

Aim - to see if words processed semantically are remembered better than structurally processes words

Procedure:

  • 20 participants aged 16-18
  • Opportunity sampling
  • Field experiment
  • Repeated measures design
  • List of 40 words with yes or no answer questions -equal number of each
  • Recognition task - recall 40 words from step 1 from list of 80 words

Results - supported experimental hypothesis and rejected null hypothesis - more participants remembered the most semantically processed words rather than structurally processed words

Conclusion - participants had better recall when process words semantically not structurally - supports levels of processing

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Variables

Strength - standardised procedure so all participants experience the same - easily replicated and tested for reliablility

Weakness - lacks generalisablilty - samll smaple size and more female participants

Improvements - use straitified sampling and complete study outside of school setting to have wider range of participant age so better generalisablility

Ethical issues addressed - consent - not informed as would make results less accurate, right to withdraw, competence and debrief

IV - how participants process information - word semantically or structurally processed

DV - how many of 40 words recognised from list of 80 in recognition task

EVs controlled - distraction and noise level - library setting

EVs not controlled - participant mood, light and temperature

Operationalised IV - how participan ts process - upper case of lower case, word meaning

Operationalised DV - how many words recognised

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Hypothesis

Exoerimental - will be a difference in the number of words recognised from list due to being semantically or structurally processed

Null - no difference in number of words recognised from list due to depth of processing. Any difference due to chance

Changes from pilot study - reduce time spent completing stages

Mean - Structural - 5, Semantic - 9

Demand characteristics may occur due to repeated measures design

Reliability - stantardised procedure, some EVs controlled

Validity - artifical task and setting

Objectivity - quantitiative data collected - not interpreted by researcher - objective

Order effects - not minimised through counterbalancing or randomisation as study needed to be completed in certain order - could do recognition task before processed words in question task first

Experiment effects not controlled

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