Bahrick et al - duration of LTM

• Bahrick (1975)


  Investigated the duration of long-term memory using 392 American university graduates
• Bahrick's study

  1. Participants shown photographs from high-school yearbook

  2. Participants given group of names and asked to select name matching photograph
• 90% of participants correctly matched names and faces 14 years after graduating
• 60% of participants correctly matched names and faces 47 years after graduating
• Evaluation of Bahrick's research

  • Used a sample of 392 American university graduates, therefore lacks population validity
  • Unable to generalise results to other populations (e.g. UK, Europe)
  • Unable to explain whether long-term memory becomes less accurate over time due to limited duration or other factors like age
  • High levels of ecological validity as used real life memories