Glanzer & Cunitz (1966)

Question 1

Which theory does Glanzer and Cunitz (1966) support?

Answer 1

Multi-store model of memory

Question 2

What is the aim of Glanzer and Cunitz (1966)?

Answer 2

To test the hypothesis that STM and LTM are two separate stores

Question 3

What is the procedure of Glanzer and Cunitz (1966)?

Answer 3

• participants were shown a list of words
• asked to recall words either immediately or after a 30s interference task (to prevent rehearsal)

Question 4

What were the results of Glanzer and Cunitz (1966)?

Answer 4

• primacy effect - all participants recalled words from the beginning of the list the best
• immediate recall participants recalled words from the end of the list, whilst the delayed group did not

Question 5

What are the strengths of Glanzer and Cunitz (1966)?

Answer 5

Research design and methodologies:
* Controlled experiment - lab setting allows researchers to control variables → increasing internal validity
* Replicable - standardised procedure - replicable → high reliability
* Easy comparison and analysis - DV measured quantitatively → results are easy to compare and to analyse statistically

Question 6

What are the limitations of Glanzer and Cunitz (1966)?

Answer 6

• Lacks ecological validity - artificial task → not reflective of how memory is used in real-life situations
• Sample bias - limited sample → results may not generalise to wider population (low population validity
• Independent measures design → could give rise to participant variables (one condition of the IV could have consisted of people whose memory was naturally better than in the other groups)
• Simplistic - supports MSM, but doesn’t show complexity of memory
• Only tests one type of memory - focuses on verbal / semantic memory, neglecting other types → areas of uncertainty