Modality and Recall Sarah LeStourgeon Michaelia Gilbert Christina Banks Hanover College

Introduction Question: How is immediate recall accuracy influenced by how information is presented? Question: How is immediate recall accuracy influenced by how information is presented? Which modality is most effective for immediate recall accuracy? Which modality is most effective for immediate recall accuracy?  Visual?  Verbal?  Combination?

Introduction Previous research: Previous research: –Baddeley (1986): formed the theory of working memory. –R. Conrad (1963, 1964) suggests that short term memory operates aurally. –Example: similar sounding letters have lower recall accuracy than dissimilar

Class data

Introduction Hypotheses: Hypotheses: –1. greatest immediate recall accuracy when the stimuli are simultaneously –2. greater immediate recall accuracy when the stimuli are presented aurally than when the stimuli are presented visually.

Introduction Why is this research important: Why is this research important: –relevant to every day life. –It is helpful to have techniques and strategies that greater enhance recall ability. –Expanding knowledge on how the mind operates

Method Participants: Participants: –34 (84% female) –Ranged in age from years old –Volunteered after being informed via word of mouth or flyers in the psych hallway –All Hanover College students

Method Equipment: Equipment: PowerPoint 2003 was used to create the slideshow. PowerPoint 2003 was used to create the slideshow. Sony Vio laptop computer with Windows 98 Sony Vio laptop computer with Windows 98 Projector Sharp Notevision5 Projector Sharp Notevision5 Projector screen Projector screen Boston Speakers Boston Speakers

Method Stimuli Stimuli –Written words:  Each word presented on it’s own slide  each slide was displayed for two seconds. –Verbal words:  recorded into PowerPoint (2003) by female voice

Conditions Word orderVisual onlyVerbal onlyVerbal and Visual 1ROSECLOCKBALL 2TRUCKBAGRAKE 3DANCETRAINHAIR 4LIMENESTCAMEL 5BRIDGEKITESOCK 6CHURCHHAMMERSHELF 7APPLECANGLASS 8CHAIRSTARMOUSE 9DUCKTREERING

Method Procedure Procedure –Participants first signed informed consent form. –Condition 1 = Visual –Condition 2 = Verbal –Condition 3= Both simultaneously –participants immediately recalled as many words as possible, in any order, with no time limit.

Result Researchers calculated mean percent accuracy of recall for each participant across each condition. Researchers calculated mean percent accuracy of recall for each participant across each condition. Used a one-way within subjects ANOVA to compare mean accuracy for each condition. Used a one-way within subjects ANOVA to compare mean accuracy for each condition.  See Figure 1. There were no significant differences of mean accuracy across modality. There were no significant differences of mean accuracy across modality. –F (2,58) =.668, p =.517

Figure 1. Mean accuracy of recall for each condition.

Discussion Possible reasons why our means are not significantly different: Possible reasons why our means are not significantly different: –De Beni and Moe (2003) accounted for different strategies. Possible interference. –visual system may be stronger in short term memory than we expected. –the conversion from visual to verbal may be automatic

Discussion The differences in means may be subtle The differences in means may be subtle –The first and second condition means were almost exactly the same (.63 and.64) whereas the third was slightly higher in accuracy. –This would support the dual-processing theory of working memory if the results were significant.

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