Glanzer and Cunitz Study (cognitive)

Question 1

Glanzer and Cunitz Study (cognitive)

Aim

Answer 1

To investigate the influence of external variables on serial position in recall (primary and recency effect) and support short-term and long term memory.

Question 2

Glanzer and Cunitz Study (cognitive)

Procedure

Answer 2

• Participants: Approx 50 males in US Army
• Memory test with one syllable nouns
• Started with 3, 5-word practice lists
• Participants were then showed a list of 15 words , then had to recall immediately, or after 1 10 or 30 second delay (15 rounds) that required participants to count as a distraction
• Repeated measures (each participant completed 5 lists with each condition)

Question 3

Glanzer and Cunitz Study (cognitive)

Findings

Answer 3

• With no delay, the first 5 and last 3 words were recalled best
• With a 10 or 30-second delay during which the participants counted, there was little effect on the words at the beginning of the list but poor recall of later items
• Supports LTM through primary effect and STM through recency effect (later words were held in StM and were lost due to interference whereas the earlier words have been passed to LTM)

Question 4

Glanzer and Cunitz Study (cognitive)

Strengths

Answer 4

• Reliable study (easily replicated)
• Repeated measures ( reduces participant variability)

Question 5

Glanzer and Cunitz Study (cognitive)

Limitations

Answer 5

• Sampling bias: Low population validity - all members of the army

Question 6

Glanzer and Cunitz Study (cognitive)

Ethical Considerations

Answer 6

• Withdrawal - Army members may not have felt they had the opportunity to withdraw from the study

Question 7

Glanzer and Cunitz Study (cognitive)

Research Method

Answer 7

Experiment