Testing two storage mechanisms in free recall task replication study of Glanzer &
Cunitz 1966
Name: XXXXX
Student number: XXXX
Psychology, De Vrije Universiteit van Amsterdam
Tutor: XXXXX
Group: XX
Course: Research Methods 1
Date: XXXXX
Abstract: 137 words
Introduction: 677 words
Discussion: 582 words
1
,Contents
Abstract.............................................................................................................................................3
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..........................................................................................................................................4
References.........................................................................................................................................6
2
, Abstract
The aim of this study is to replicate the free recall task study of Glanzer & Cunitz (1966). In
this study the modal model of Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968) was used. This study investigated
whether there was an effect of the delay and non-delay conditions on the bimodal serial
position curve. To observe these effects, the amount of words recalled, were measured in the
free recall tasks in both conditions. Results showed that the primacy effect was present in
both conditions, however the recency effect was only present in the non-delay condition. This
was observed in the bimodal serial position curve as seen that there was no peak at the end of
the curve. This study goes against the replication crisis and confirms the results of the
original free recall task study of Glanzer & Cunitz (1966).
Introduction
The human memory consists of short-term and long-term memory. The short-term
memory, also known as the working memory, is an active memory process that handles
different types of information. This information could be retained and or manipulated. The
short-term memory also has a limited capacity. On the contrary, the long term memory has an
unlimited capacity and has a longer duration, indicating that information stays here forever
(Gazzaniga et al., 2022). Information from the short-term memory can be stored in long-term
memory through rehearsal; otherwise, this information could decay. Rehearsing information
is also critical for maintaining it in short-term memory only. This explanation is originated
from the modal model by Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968).
To study memory, scientists often use a free recall task, where participants are
supposed to recall a list of words in any order. When experimenting with the free recall task,
two conditions could be used. Initially, the words are presented to participants in, for example
a slideshow, and then participants write down the words they remember. Glanzer & Cunitz
(1966) investigated with two conditions for this experiment. The first condition is called the
immediate recall task, also known as the non-delay condition, and the second condition is
called the delayed recall task, also known as the delay condition. When doing an immediate
free recall task participants are expected to write down the words immediately after the
presentation of all the words ended. In a delayed recall task, the participants are assigned to
do some sort of task to prevent them from rehearsing words that could potentially be encoded
in the short-term memory. In previous free recall experiments, the main findings were the
recency effect and the primacy effect. When the words in the beginning of the list are better
recalled compared to the other words further in the list, the primacy effect occurs. On the
3
Cunitz 1966
Name: XXXXX
Student number: XXXX
Psychology, De Vrije Universiteit van Amsterdam
Tutor: XXXXX
Group: XX
Course: Research Methods 1
Date: XXXXX
Abstract: 137 words
Introduction: 677 words
Discussion: 582 words
1
,Contents
Abstract.............................................................................................................................................3
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..........................................................................................................................................4
References.........................................................................................................................................6
2
, Abstract
The aim of this study is to replicate the free recall task study of Glanzer & Cunitz (1966). In
this study the modal model of Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968) was used. This study investigated
whether there was an effect of the delay and non-delay conditions on the bimodal serial
position curve. To observe these effects, the amount of words recalled, were measured in the
free recall tasks in both conditions. Results showed that the primacy effect was present in
both conditions, however the recency effect was only present in the non-delay condition. This
was observed in the bimodal serial position curve as seen that there was no peak at the end of
the curve. This study goes against the replication crisis and confirms the results of the
original free recall task study of Glanzer & Cunitz (1966).
Introduction
The human memory consists of short-term and long-term memory. The short-term
memory, also known as the working memory, is an active memory process that handles
different types of information. This information could be retained and or manipulated. The
short-term memory also has a limited capacity. On the contrary, the long term memory has an
unlimited capacity and has a longer duration, indicating that information stays here forever
(Gazzaniga et al., 2022). Information from the short-term memory can be stored in long-term
memory through rehearsal; otherwise, this information could decay. Rehearsing information
is also critical for maintaining it in short-term memory only. This explanation is originated
from the modal model by Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968).
To study memory, scientists often use a free recall task, where participants are
supposed to recall a list of words in any order. When experimenting with the free recall task,
two conditions could be used. Initially, the words are presented to participants in, for example
a slideshow, and then participants write down the words they remember. Glanzer & Cunitz
(1966) investigated with two conditions for this experiment. The first condition is called the
immediate recall task, also known as the non-delay condition, and the second condition is
called the delayed recall task, also known as the delay condition. When doing an immediate
free recall task participants are expected to write down the words immediately after the
presentation of all the words ended. In a delayed recall task, the participants are assigned to
do some sort of task to prevent them from rehearsing words that could potentially be encoded
in the short-term memory. In previous free recall experiments, the main findings were the
recency effect and the primacy effect. When the words in the beginning of the list are better
recalled compared to the other words further in the list, the primacy effect occurs. On the
3
