You Are Running a Study on the Serial Position Effect

question 531

Multiple Choice

You are running a study on the serial position effect in your lab. You decide to introduce a 30 second delay at the start of the word list and have participants count backwards by threes. Then they are presented with a list of 30 words to remember. Recall takes place immediately. This procedure should reduce or remove the

• A)primacy effect
• B)recency effect
• C)episodic memory
• D)source confusion effect
• E)nothing-the delay needs to be at the end of the list to have an effect

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Definitions:

Independent Variable

The experimental element that is manipulated to observe its effect on the dependent variable within scientific research.

Dependent Variable

In research, it's the variable that is being tested and measured, expected to change as a result of manipulations to the independent variable.

Manipulated

Refers to the controlled alteration or handling of variables in experiments to determine cause-and-effect relationships.

Placebo Effect

The phenomenon that occurs in an experiment when a participant’s response to a treatment is due to his or her expectations about the treatment rather than to the treatment itself.