Glanzer & Cunitz (1966)

Glanzer & Cunitz (1966) was a study that demonstrated the primacy and recency effects present in remembering a series of information.

Aim
To investigate the primacy/recency effect

Procedure

 * Participants were asked to read a series of 15 words
 * They were then asked to recall the 15 words in any order
 * In another variation, a distraction task was performed before recall

Results

 * Participants remember the first and last words better
 * Results fall into a pattern known as the “serial position curve”

Conclusion

 * First few words are better remembered because more time to rehearse them
 * Last few words are better remembered because still in short term memory
 * Evidence for MSM model

Evaluation

 * Low ecological validity: lab test
 * Ignored participant’s understanding of the words
 * Only one culture tested
 * Education in some cultures may train students to remember things