Cognitive Experiment 04: All Purpose Memory

Introduction:
This experiment aims to explore many theories on memory based on Cognitive Perspective. The words are told to the group, 1 seconds between each word, and the participants are to write them down as much as possible after all the words are told.

Data Collection:

10 | |
9 | | | |
8 | | | |
7 | | | | | |
6 | | | | | | | | |
5 | | | | | | | | | |
4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
0 ----------------------------------------------
B Q D S S F C S N T T A T R D
E U A L I A L N I O I R U E R
D I R E L T O O G S R T R S E
L K E E I C R H S E I N T A
T P N G K I T D C M
C U N H
E E G O
K
E

Data Analysis:
1. Serial Position Effect: Though it is not so clear, there is an evidence of the serial position effect in this experiment, which is the first and last memories are recalled better than many of the middle one.
2. Semantic Distinctiveness: Since artichoke is a word that does not associate with bedroom and nighttime, the word is recalled better for some people.
3. Rehearsal: The word night is repeated three times, enhancing recall of the word.
4. Memory reconstruction: The word sleep is not in the experiment. The fact that some people claimed they recalled this word is because their memory associate the word to the topic, therefore leading to the thought that the word sleep, too, is mentioned.
5. Chucking: Though it is not clear for this experiment due to that we are not a native speaker of English, chucking can happens with the word "Toss and Turn."

Conclusion:
The experiment is successful in demonstrating the theories about memory according to the cognitive perspective. Though it may not be so clear due to that the group is only of 10 people, the experiment explains all the theories said above.