Class Experiment

Psych 231: Research Methods in Psychology

Class experiment

Today going to go over the design and procedures for the class experiment. Make sure that you download the experiment packet and

test your participants this weekend

Memory Demonstration

Instructions (1/2 the class): I’m going to read a list of words. Please listen to each word on the list. After each

word I’d like you to respond ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ whether the word has a letter ‘a’ in it

After I’m done, please count backwards (aloud) by threes from the number that I give you.

Then I’ll tell you to write down as many of the words as you can. Any questions?

Read list 683

Memory Demonstration

Instructions (the other 1/2 of the class): I’m going to read a list of words. Please LISTEN to each word on the list. After each

word I’d like you to respond ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ whether

the word is something that you associate with your

experience at Illinois State University After I’m done, please count backwards by threes from the

number that I give you. Then I’ll tell you to write down as many of the words as you

can. Read list 537

Recall

Please recall as many of the items now (write them down).

Check:

apple interest theory ocean pencil

moral microscope anger chance baby

car hammer fate happiness book

effort bird money hope knowledge

The issues

What variables might influence performance on a memory task like this?

We’ll select two things: Type of word - abstract or concrete Level of processing - how “deeply” the words are

processed

The issues

What variables might influence performance on a memory task like this?

We’ll select two things: Type of word - abstract or concrete Level of processing - how “deeply” the words are

processed

Word type

apple interest theory ocean pencil

moral microscope anger chance baby

car hammer fate happiness book

effort bird money hope knowledge

Word type

apple interest theory ocean pencil

moral microscope anger chance baby

car hammer fate happiness book

effort bird money hope knowledge

Concrete words Abstract words

Concrete words Abstract words

Go ahead and count up how many abstract and how many concrete words you remembered.

The issues

What variables might influence performance on a memory task like this?

We’ll select two things: Type of word - abstract or concrete Level of processing - how “deeply” the words are

processed

Levels of processing

BOOKCARDESKDRESSERFLOWERMAGAZINEhappiness

Shallow:Is there an “a”

happiness

Deep:Related to ISU

Two levels of processing:

The issues

What are the issues that we’re looking at? What is the Dependent variable?

• Construct?• Operationalized?

What is/are the Independent variable(s)?• Word type

• Op: words rated as abstract or concrete

• Level of processing• Op: Shallow processing: “does word have an ‘a’ in it?”

Deep processing: “is the word related to ISU experience?”

accurate recall of words from list

memory

The design

How many conditions do we have? What is the design of the study?

• 2 factors

What are your predictions?

ISU related“a” in it

Level of processing

Concrete

Word type Abstract

Class experiment

I have put the materials together and posted them on the syllabus (click on “class experiment”)

Your homework is to Download “Exp packet” Find two volunteers Collect some data Bring the data back to class on Monday (or Tuesday)

I will compile and analyze the results You will go over the summarized results in labs

Based on this experiment and these results you will produce an APA style research report

Class experiment

In the packet you’ll find: Instructions

• To create the stimuli• To read to your participants• For compiling the data (data sheet provided)

Two consent forms Debriefing sheet

The Procedure

• Find 2 volunteers• Test each participant (one-at-a-time, in one of the

conditions)• Following presentation of the word list • Have them count backwards by 3s for 15 sec.• Ask them to recall as many of the words as they can (have

them write them down)• Shuffle the word order (the cards) before each

participant• Count up the number of correctly recalled abstract

and concrete words and enter this information into the data summary sheet

• Bring the data back to class on Monday (or Tues)

The design

What do we need to control? Presentation rate Amount of time for recall Number of items on the list Actual items on the list

Any other things we need to think about? Ethics

• Consent form, debriefing• I have create these and they are part of the experiment

packet that you download

90 seconds

20 items

Same concrete and abstract words

1 second per item

The class paper

Complete APA style research report Intro

• There are 3 required readings which you must include these in your introduction

• Kroll & Merves (1986)• Craik & Tulving (1975)• Groninger & Groninger (1982)

• Additionally, you must find at least 1 additional article to include in your introduction

Methods, Results, Discussion, References, etc. Two drafts (see web pages for specific details)

1st: due week 9 Final: due week 14