Grant

• Background - context-dependent memory

  • The idea that we are able to recall info best if we return to the same content in which info was learned in the first place
  • Suggested when a memory is first framed, features of the environment are encoded with it.
• Background - Godden and Baddeley

  • A sample of divers was given a list of words learned in two natural environments - on dry land and underwater
  • They had to recall the words in the original environment or in an alt environment
  • Results showed that people recalled significantly more words in the original environment.
• Smith

  • Suggested recall can be enhanced by being back in the same context in which something was first learned, the way it is tested is important
  • In particular, if tested through multiple choice questions, any cues being back in familiar environment will be 'outshone' by info given within options a person is given to choose from - known as Smiths 'outshining theory'
• Aim


  To see whether the kind of context-dependency effect that had often been reported for recall (but not recognition) of unrelated words would also be seen in relation to the type of prose presented in many academic courses.
• Sample

  • Snowball sampling - eight student researchers recruited 5 acquaintances
  • 17-56 years
  • 17 females, 23 males
  • Participants placed in one condition and tested individually by the student researcher who recruited them
  • One result was not used due to abnormally low score
• Procedure stage one

  • Participants read a short article on psychoimmunology
  • Studied the article in either noisy or silent conditions, both wearing headphones.
  • Noisy condition heard the noise of the background of a cafeteria
  • They then has a two minute break
• Procedure stage two

  • After the break they were given two sets of questions to answer about the article, again in either noisy or quiet conditions.
  • The two test consisted of a 10 question answer recall test and a 16 question recognition test
• Article & test silent condition

  14.3% mean score
• Noisy article & silent test condition

  12.7% mean score
• Noisy test & noisy article condition

  14.3%
• Findings

  • Participants performed better in matching conditions
  • Provides support for context-dependent memory suggesting we learn more when we are in the same context we learnt it in.
• How it has changed our understanding

  Shows as well as being affected by info gained after an event, memory is also effected by environmental conditions
• How it hasn't changed understanding

  Still no understanding within other non-student groups

  Don't know who memory is context dependent
• Links to cognitive area

  • CA suggests that to understand human behaviour, we need to understand mental processes
  • Memory is one such mental process
  • Links to CA because it's focused on the particular theory about memory - specifically context dependant memory
  • The theory proposes that when a memory is first framed, characteristics of the environment are encoded with it.