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