The Effects of Color, Context Congruency and Interference on Short Term Memory

1
The Effects of Color, Context Congruency and
Interference on Short Term Memory
Jenny Braun, Brianna Raatz, and April
Schweinhart Hanover College
2
Introduction

• Novelty Metaphor
• Mnemonics
• Bizarreness Effect (McDaniel et al)
• False Memory
• Interference (Peterson Peterson)
• Lack of rehearsal
• Color Enhances Visual Memory (Spence et al)

3
Hypothesis

• Easier to recall objects in pictures when
• Objects are noncongruent with setting
• No interference
• Pictures are in color

4
Participants

• 37 participants
• Age Range
• 18-22 years old
• Gender
• 24 Female
• 13 Male
• Ethnicity
• 30 Caucasian
• 2 Asian
• 5 Other

• Condition 1
• 8 participants
• Condition 2
• 7 participants
• Condition 3
• 12 participants
• Condition 4
• 10 participants

5
Method

• Equipment
• Projector, Computer, Microsoft PowerPoint,
  Handout
• Stimulus
• PowerPoint slideshow with congruent and
  incongruent pictures
• Condition 1 Black and white, no math
• Condition 2 Black and white, math
• Condition 3 Color, no math
• Condition 4 Color, math

6
Method (cont.)

• Procedure
• Informed Consent
• Instruction
• View PowerPoint
• Picture (10 secs)
• Math or no math (50 secs)
• Recall (15 secs)
• Demographics
• Debriefing

7
(No Transcript)
8
(No Transcript)
9
Results
10
Discussion

• Bizarreness Effect not supported
• False Memory not supported
• Interference had no effect
• Color does enhance visual memory
• Order Effects