Classic Study: Baddeley (1966)

Question 1

What was the aim of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 1

• To investigate whether LTM encodes acoustically or semantically
• To investigate if acoustically similar words would lead to more impairment in the LTM than semantically similar

Question 2

Who were used in the sample?

Answer 2

• 72 males and females

- From ‘Applied Psychology Research Unit’ in Cambridge

Question 3

What type of method was used?

Answer 3

Lab

Question 4

What did ‘Condition A’ entail?

Answer 4

Ppts learned a list of 10 acoustically similar words

e.g. man, can

Question 5

What did ‘Condition B’ entail?

Answer 5

Ppts learned a list of 10 acoustically dissimilar words

e.g. pit, few

Question 6

What did ‘Condition C’ entail?

Answer 6

Ppts learned a list 10 semantically similar words

e.g. large, big

Question 7

What did ‘Condition D’ entail?

Answer 7

Ppts learned a list of 10 semantically dissimilar words

e.g. good, hot

Question 8

Briefly describe the procedure of this classic study.

Answer 8

• Experiment 3
• Condition A involved 10 acoustically similar words (e.g. man, can)
• Condition B involved 10 acoustically dissimilar words (e.g. pit, few)
• Condition C involved 10 semantically similar words (e.g. large, big)
• Condition B involved 10 semantically dissimilar words (e.g. good, hot)
• Each list of 10 words were presented on a projector in a set order, one word every 3 seconds
• Afterwards the 72 ppts from the ‘Applied Psychology Research Unit’ at Cambridge were asked to complete 6 tasks involving memory for digits to prevent rehearsal
• They were then given 1 min to recall the words in order
• This was repeated over 4 trials
• After the 4 trials the groups were given a 15 minute interference task involving copying 8 digit sequences
• Ppts were then given a surprise retest on the word sequence of their condition

Question 9

What was the IV and DV?

Answer 9

IV = Acoustically/semantically similar/dissimilar word lists
DV = Number of words recalled in the correct order

Question 10

Why did it get repeated over 4 trials?

Answer 10

To make sure the learned words were in the ppts’ LTM by trials 3 and 4.

Question 11

What were the results of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 11

• Around 40% of people recalled acoustically similar words correctly in trial 2 compared to 60% for acoustically dissimilar words
• Around 50% of semantically similar words were recalled in trial 4 compared to 85% of semantically dissimilar which was a significant difference
• None of the conditions showed any significant further forgetting between trial 4 and the retest

Question 12

Describe the conclusion of this experiment.

Answer 12

• Ppts found it harder to recall acoustic similarity
• This shows that STM is largely acoustic as similar words were harder to encode to LTM
• Ppts found it harder to recall semantically similar words
• This shows that encoding in LTM is largely semantic
• Therefore this study demonstrates how STM and LTM are affected differently by different types of encoding

Question 13

Evaluate the generalisablity using a high and low point.

Answer 13

P - High
E - We assume that memory is universal
E - Therefore the results and conclusions should be true for all individuals
P - Low
E - Used a sample of 72 student volunteers from Britain
E - Therefore ethnocentric as not representative of difference in word structure in other countries and not representative to people with brain damage may have affected memory

Question 14

Evaluate the reliability using 2 high points.

Answer 14

P - High
E - Follows a standardised procedure (e.g. one word every 3 seconds with controls of the same order of word for ppts in the same condition)
E - Easy to replicate and test for consistency
P - High
E - Uses quantitative data of how many words remembered in the different word lists of acoustic and semantic
E - This means that the data is easier to compare, is objective and scientific

Question 15

Are there any applications?

Answer 15

P - Yes
E - Can be used to inform students on revision techniques as the study suggests that LTM encodes semantically
E - Therefore the advice to students is to use methods such as mindmaps and revision cards that create semantic links instead of re-reading notes as the information will more likely encode in LTM if semantic

Question 16

Evaluate the validity using a high and low point.

Answer 16

P - High internal
E - Controlled order of words on the list and how long they appeared for with the same word lists for each person in that condition
E - Therefore cause and effect can be established between word list similarity being the only factor responsible for memory impairment
P - Low task
E - Used a list of 10 words for each condition that they had to recall a total of 5 times
E - This doesn’t reflect memory in real life as we don’t often recite word lists and instead remember things like putting the bins out

Question 17

Evaluate an ethical issue.

Answer 17

P - Unethical
E - Ppts were unaware of the surprise trial at the end
E - Informed consent of this was not given and so may cause psychological distress