ISB Psychology Psurvival Wikia

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 45 words
  • They were then asked to recall the 45 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