Cognitive Psychology Core Studies

Question 1

Aim of L+P experiment 1

Answer 1

To investigate the effect of leading questions on memory recall

Question 2

IV and DV for L+P experiment 1

Answer 2

IV = word in the critical condition - smashed, hit, collided, bumped, contacted

DV = estimation of speed given by ppts

Question 3

Research method of L+P

Answer 3

Lab experiment

Question 4

Sample of L+P

Answer 4

Opportunistic

Question 5

Procedure of L+P experiment 1

Answer 5

• ppt sat in lecture theatre and watched a clip of a car crash
• ppts split into 5 groups with 9 ppts in each group
• ppts answered questions about the car crash
• some filler questions but one questions was the critical question
• critical question = ‘about how fast were the cars going when they … into each other’
• blank could have been smashed, hit, collided, bumped or contacted

Question 6

Results of L+P experiment 1

Answer 6

Smashed = 40.8mph
Collided = 39.3mph
Bumped = 38.1mph
Hit = 34mph
Contacted = 31.8mph

Question 7

Conclusion of L+P experiment 1

Answer 7

Leading questions do effect memory recall, in this case changing the verb to smashed gave a higher estimation of speed by ppts

Question 8

Aim of L+P experiment 2

Answer 8

To see if post event info affects memory recall

Question 9

IV and DV of L+P experiment 2

Answer 9

IV = verb used, smashed, hit or no questions about speed
DV = response to critical question and whether they saw broken glass or not

Question 10

Sample of L+P experiment 2

Answer 10

150 American uni students, similar age, similar background

Question 11

Procedure of L+P experiment 2

Answer 11

• ppts sat in lecture theatre and watched a clip of a car crash
• ppts split into 3 groups with 50 ppts in each group
• ppts answered questions about the crash
• 2 experimental groups and 1 control
• experimental groups asked “about how fast were the cars going when they … into each other”
• the blank was either smashed or hit
• control group asked about speed
• ppts came back a week later and asked critical question “did you see any broken glass”

Question 12

Results of L+P experiment 2

Answer 12

Smashed
Yes - 16 No - 34

Hit
Yes - 7 No - 43

Control
Yes - 6 No - 44

Question 13

Conclusions of L+P experiment 2

Answer 13

Post event info does affect memory recall

Question 14

Evaluation of L+P

Answer 14

• low ecological validity because ppts knew they were taking part in an experiment
• only used uni students so not representative of non uni students
• high internal validity because extraneous variables controlled

Question 15

Aim of Grant

Answer 15

Whether contact dependency effects would be found with the type of material and tests in school

Question 16

Research method of Grant

Answer 16

Independent measures designed
Lab experiment

Question 17

IV and DV of Grant

Answer 17

IV = study and retrieval context (silent vs noisy)
DV = memory, measuring scores on short answer tests and multiple choice

Question 18

Sample of Grant

Answer 18

8 psychology students who recruited 5 acquaintances
39 ppts
17-56
17 females
23 males

Question 19

Procedure of Grant

Answer 19

• cassette player and headphones provided
• 8 cassette players with background noise of cafeteria sound
• article on psychoimmunology
• 16 MCQ
• 10 short answer Qs
• short answer always before MCQ
• ppts read article, allowed to underline and highlight
• all ppts wore headphones whilst they read

Question 20

Results of Grant

Answer 20

Short answer (/10)
SS = 6.7
SN = 4.6
NS = 5.4
NN = 6.2

Multiple choice (/16)
SS = 14.3
SN = 12.7
NS = 12.7
NN = 14.3

No significant difference in reading times

Question 21

Conclusions of Grant

Answer 21

• students likely to do better in exams if study with minimum of background noise as will not be present in exam
• studying and testing in same environment lead to enhanced performance

Question 22

Evaluation of Grant

Answer 22

• high design validity - standardised
• not truly representative of assessments under typical exam conditions so low ecological validity
• all headphones noise was the same so reliable