Experiment of Long Term Memory Retention

Experiment of Long Term Memory Retention Abstract: The purpose of this study was to test the retention of long term memory based on retrieval environments. Our research is based on Godden and Baddeley’s (1976) study that focused on the relationship between retrieval environments and learning. The technique known as context-dependency –which is defined as â€Å"the belief that what is learnt in a given environment is best recalled in that environment† –is tested and compared to previous research (Godden Baddeley, 1975). An experiment was conducted at Foundation Campus at the University of Central Lancashire with nine international student. Enlisting a repeated measures design and laboratory method, the participants are asked to learn and recall a list of 13 words in the same environment, then they were asked to learn and recall another list of 13 words in two different locations. The results corroborate and support the context-dependency memory effect. Introduction: This experiments is about assessing the effect of retrieval environments when it comes to long term memory (LTM) recall. LTM is described as stored information that can be recalled over a long period of time –e.g. days, weeks, etc. (Merriam-Webster, (2015). Godden and Baddeley (1995) decided to conduct an experiment to test this notion –also known as context-dependency memory effect. Context-dependency memory effect is defined as â€Å"the belief that what is learnt in a given environment is best recalled in that environment† (Godden Baddeley, 1975). The aim of Godden and Baddeley’s research was to examine the association between learning and retrieval environments (Cardwell, Clark, and Meldrum, 2008:11). In order to carry out their experiment, Godden and Baddeley decided to enlist eighteen participants who were divers in Oban, Scotland (Cardwell, Clark, and Meldrum, 2008:11). Furthermore, the divers were instructed to learn a list of forty distinct words on land or, fifteen feet under water (Cardwell, Clark, and Meldrum, 2008:11). They were then asked to recall these words in a different location or in the same location (Cardwell, Clark, and Meldrum, 2008:11). Specifically, half of the divers were directed to a different location when the time came for memory recollection, while the other half remain in the same environment for memory recollection (Cardwell, Clark, and Meldrum, 2008:11). When partaking in Godden and Baddeley’s experiment, the list of 40 words were revealed to participants in groups –this all owed the divers to assume a relaxed/comfortable breathing rate in order to assure that the participants faced no obstacles when learning (Godden Baddeley, 1975). Additionally, each the list of words were revealed in blocks of three, and, the words were spaced at two second intervals (Godden Baddeley, 1975). When asked to recall, Godden and Baddeley found that â€Å"those who learned and recalled in the same location remembered the most words -12.5 on average† (Cardwell, Clark, and Meldrum, 2008:11). According to the aforementioned graph, Godden and Baddeley found that when participant learned on land an recalled the information under water, they could only recall -on average -8.6 words, while those who learned under water and recalled the words land, only remembered 8.4 words on average (Godden Baddeley, 1975). This study –based on Godden and Baddeley’s research in 1975 – will examine and delve into the connection between learning and retrieval environments. This study will utilize students with diversified ethnic backgrounds and ages. Contrary to Godden and Baddeley’s research, it will use two lists of thirteen simple words -–all within one to three syllables –in order to ensure comprehension. Aim: To examine the connection between learning and retrieval environments using Godden and Baddeley’s study on context-dependency retrieval. Hypothesis: Memory recollection in the same environment in which information was learned will yield higher recollections among participants. The hypothesis for this experiment is directional, meaning the independent variable (the retrieval location/environment) will directly affect the dependent variable (the accuracy/amount of words recalled). Method: Design A controlled laboratory experiment was utilised to elucidate a distinct cause and effect relationship between the independent and dependent variables. A controlled laboratory also enabled immense control over variables within the experiment, it also permitted unproblematic replication for future researchers and easy utilisation of equipment –e.g. videos, etc. A repeated measures design was employed in order to negate/remove differences that numerous samples would possess. Due to this design, differences in gender, linguistic ability, comprehension and age were avoided. The independent variable in this experiment was the retrieval environment or location in which the participant were asked to recall the words –i.e. the classroom or the canteen. The dependent variable was the quantity of words the participant could recall in each environment/location. A confounding variable could be the sound/noise of police cars driving past the laboratory environment. In agreement with research principles/ethics, written informed consent forms were distributed to all participants before this experiment commenced. Participants were given the right to withdraw at any time, and immense confidentiality with participant’s information and results was promised and delivered. Participants: There were ten participants –five male and four female participants. The participants were obtained from diversified backgrounds –non-native English speakers and English speakers. Participants that contributed to this experiment were between the ages of eighteen to forty-seven. An opportunity sample was enlisted for this experiment. This sample type allowed expediency when enlisting when procuring participants, it also enables replication for future research. Materials: Informed Consent (Appendix 1) Standardised Instructions (Appendix 2) Word List 1 (Appendix 3) Word List 2 (Appendix 4) Comical Video (Appendix 5) Procedure: Initially, the aforementioned materials were given to the participants. Secondly, in order to check for errors in our experiment, a pilot study was conducted to ensure validity in the experiment. After the pilot study, a classroom and canteen was procured for the experiment. A mixed-gender opportunity sample of nine individuals –ranging from 18 to 25 –was obtained and directed into the classroom. During this experiment, the participants were first given an informed consent form (Appendix 1), after signing and agreeing to the form, they were shown the standardised instructions (Appendix 2). After the standardised instructions, the participants were given a piece of paper –with â€Å"experiment 1† written on one side, and â€Å"experiment 2† written on the other side, -they were also given pens to document their answers. Firstly, the participants were then shown Word List 1 (Appendix 3), secondly, they were given one minute to study the words, then they were shown a four minute Comical Video (Appendix 6), and then they were given approximately one minute to write down the words they could recall. In the next stage of our experiment, the same participants were asked to flip their paper over, then they were given exactly one minute to study Word list 2 (Appendix 4), the participants they were asked to walk around the Vernon Building (located in the University of Central Lancashire’s campus) to a canteen. When the participants arrived at the canteen, they were promptly seated and given one minute to recall and write down the words they could recall in one minute. Results: The result of this experiment were harmonious to that of Godden and Baddeley’s in 1975. 66.67% of the participants recalled more words when their retrieval location was the same as the learning environment, while 11.11% percent of participants recalled more information when the recollection environment was not the same as the learning environment. Furthermore, 33.33% of the population recalled the same amount of words irrespective of the retrieval environment. These results were in accordance with the hypothesis and Godden and Baddeley’s research in 1975. The mean of the results was greatly corrupted by outliers with the sample’s results, in order to rectify this, the median was enlisted to portray a balanced assessment of the results. The median of recollection when the learning and recollection environments were the same is 9 words with a range of 6. When the learning and recollection were different, the median of the recollection data was 4, with a range of 9. Overall, it was quite evident that recollection in the same environment where information is learned yields better results. The results support context-dependency memory effect. Discussion: The result of this experiment were harmonies with Godden and Baddeley’s research, this fortified the immense reliability of their research, and proved that it could be replicated by others. The results of the experiment magnified the context-dependency memory effect, and supported the hypothesis: â€Å"Memory recollection in the same environment in which information was learned will yield higher recollections among participants.† A laboratory method was ideal for this experiment because it allowed for control over numerous variables, and, it permitted and enabled ease when measuring the dependent variable. Utilising a repeated measures design removed differences that individuals could possibly possess that would rob this experiment of credibility. It could also be argued that ‘the fatigue effect’ –which states that â€Å"work †¦[has] a general effect of running down the bodies limited energy supply† –adversely affected the participants recollection after walking around the Vernon Building (Hockey, 2013). Perhaps this is why only one out of the nine participants recalled more on the second experiment. The small sample size on nine indicates that this experiment is not generalizable to bigger populations. Albeit the sample had a plethora of nationalities and ages, this suggests that no definite proclamations can be made about nationality or age. Furthermore, a confounding variable could be the sound/noise of police cars driving past the laboratory environment, or, the limited linguistic ability of some participants. Any further research/study into this topic could be ameliorated by enlisting a grander sample size, or, using both locations as learning and retrieval environments; this provide a deeper insight into context-dependency memory effect. A longer list of words could also be employed to test retention in LTM. References: Cardwell, M., Clark, L. and Meldrum, C. (2008)Psychology AS For AQA A. 3rd edn. London: Harper Collins Publishers. Godden, D. R., Baddeley, A. D. (1975). Context-dependent memory in two natural environments: On land and underwater.British Journal of Psychology, 66(3), 325–331. Hockey, R. (2013) The Psychology of Fatigue: Work, Effort and Control. 1st edn. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. Jansen, I. (2015). Charlie Chaplin The Lions Cage. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2dmV2-zxNg [Accessed 10 Mar. 2015]. Merriam-webster, (2015). Definition of Long-term Memory. [online] Merriam-webster.com. Available at: http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/long-term memory [Accessed 6 Mar. 2015]. Appendices Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Appendix 4 Appendix 5 Comical Video provided and republished by Jansen (2015). Appendix 6

Broken Lives by Estelle Blackburn :: Character Analysis, Literary Analysis

The fourth Chapter of Estella Blackburn’s non fiction novel Broken lives â€Å"A Fathers Influence†, exposes readers to Eric Edgar Cooke and John Button’s time of adolescence. The chapter juxtaposes the two main characters too provide the reader with character analyses so later they may make judgment on the verdict. The chapter includes accounts of the crimes and punishments that Cooke contended with from 1948 to 1958. Cooke’s psychiatric assessment that he received during one of his first convictions and his life after conviction, marring Sally Lavin. It also exposes John Button’s crime of truancy, and his move from the UK to Australia. The chapter â€Å"A Fathers Influence† is constructed with several techniques including selection of detail, choice of language, characterization, structure and writers point of view to reveal Blackburn’s values of social acceptance, parenting, family love, and a father’s influence. Consequently revealing her attitude that a child’s upbringing and there parents influence alter the characterization of a child significantly. Blackburn’s choice of language is impetrative in positioning the reader to see Button as the Protagonist and Cooke as the antagonist. â€Å"The thirteen year old blinked and stammered when he tried to answer the magistrate’s questions about why he was wagging school†. The words â€Å"blinked and stammered† describing buttons actions encourage sympathy and an imagery of innocence. â€Å"But now he felt vengeful too. He wanted to spoil things a little for those happy people who didn’t suffer like he did†, the words â€Å"vengeful, and wanted to spoil† associated with Cooke’s thoughts, encourage a menacing, and revengeful imagery of Cooke.

New High School Principal Essay

I agree with many of the points Prager makes in â€Å"New High School Principal: A Speech every American High School Principal should Give.† It is absolutely time for a change to return back to the values and foundation our nation was built upon. It seems as though they have been gradually lost over the years. This is especially seen in the school system of America. In my opinion, the most shocking part of the article is when Prager states, â€Å"Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our country. As many of you do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you.† When United States citizens do not know the words, by heart, to honor their country, we know there is a serious problem. The main problem began when our country began to incorporate every other culture into our own culture. I agree with Prager’s idea that, â€Å"Your clubs will be based on interests and passions, not blood, ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties.† If the Gay Club wants to meet, that’s fine; however, the school should not have to be responsible for supporting it. School clubs should be based on education and the expansion of knowledge that leads to advancement in classes. Nowadays, school clubs have turned into nothing more than a social get-together. â€Å"I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine†¦ No more semesters will be devoted to condom wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only or primarily a health issue.† Who doesn’t know that smoking causes cancer and other potentially life threatening diseases? Who doesn’t know that abstinence is the only real way to prevent pregnancy? This is knowledge that every high school and middle school student already knows. Time that could be put towards mathematics, science, and arts is wasted on this information because parents have failed to teach their children personal responsibility so it is now the obligation of the teachers. Before the ideas in this article can be implemented upon the school system, they must first be carried out upon society. It is essential that our country return back to the ways our forefathers intended it to be. This is one based on the virtues of honesty, integrity, responsibility, and accountability. Until someone can take a stand and actually deliver this speech to every single school across America, I unfortunately do not see any change in the future.

Amy Tans Perception of Language - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 733 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/05/28 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Mother Tongue Essay Did you like this example? A difficult part about becoming accustomed to another way of life when moving to a different country also includes learning the language of the country. Also how well you learn it and how you speak it. In Mother Tongue the author uses the Ethos, Pathos, and Logos persuasion methods to pull the reader into her claims. She also seems to get into a very defensive tone. She also uses this tone to persuade the readers. Through these different strategies she explains that the language barriers have limited success and prosperity levels to non-english speaking residents. Using logic and emotion, the author can more easily show her true feelings to the reader and reach out on a more personal level to persuade the reader. In the story she says to leave ones homeland and come into anothers alone is difficult. When she left she had different expectations for when she got her. Things like happiness, wealth, and new opportunities were expected upon leaving. Only to be disappointed by realizing that they are being profiled for their ethnicity and also their native language. The author discusses her own experience with her mother in the U.S. She also states that her friends can barely understand what her mother is saying. They describe it as if she is speaking an entire different language. But, to the author her own mother would sound perfectly normal because they come from the same background. By telling how she has to go through the troubles of her friends not being able to understand her mother this leads the audience to further understand the title of th e story, Mother Tongue Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Amy Tans Perception of Language" essay for you Create order When Tanrs mother had a CAT scan done at a hospital to further evaluate her the hospital didnt seem to care about getting her results back to her because they thought she might just go away. And when the doctor finally caller her daughter, me, who spoke perfect English and behold we had assurances the CAT scan would be found, promises that a conference call on monday be held, and apologies for any suffering my mother had gone through for a most regrettable mistake (Tan) As you can see the uses emotion to persuade the reader by talking about an upsetting experience where her mothers lack of speaking the English language. If Tanrs mother would not have had Tan to speak the proper English her sickness could potentially get worse with time. This shows the pathos method by making the audience feel sympathy for Tanrs mother. Tan also tries to use different tones in the passage to express her main idea. This also keeps the reader interested. If she would have kept the same tone throughout the entire reading the readers would start to lose interest. If she would have kept the same humor about the situation that she had at the beginning of the passage, the audience would not take her as serious. They would also get bored quickly with the passage and not want to continue reading. Changing tones throughout a passage is a common, highly effective, strategy used by many writers today. Tan also stated that she felt ashamed of her motherrs limited English. Tan states I know this for a fact, because when I was growing up, My motherrs limited English limited my perception of her. I was ashamed of her English. I believed that her English reflected the quality of what she had to say As her argument continues, Tan starts to become apologetic, this shows the reader that she found it difficult to look past her the lan guage barrier her mother had been trapped behind. As you can see, Tan successfully persuaded the reader to look at the discrimination showed to immigrants that are not as fluent in the native language in whatever country it may be. She also teaches the reader to be more considerate of others. Tan succeeds in doing this by using the Ethos, Pathos, and Logos persuasion methods. These methods also help Tan express her thoughts thoroughly. She also makes the reader feel the pain that the non-English speaking immigrants feel when they are treated different for not being fluent in a second language. To conclude, Amy Tan successfully persuaded the reader to overlook the language barriers that keep the non-English speaking immigrants of this country and all over the world from living with peace and happiness in their everyday lives.