Cognitive approach APFC UPDATED
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Aim for Glanzer and Cunitz - CORRECT ANSWER - examine whether the position of
words influences recall (primacy and recency effects) and see if there are two separate stores of
memory (STM and LTM)
Procedure for Glanzer and Cunitz - CORRECT ANSWER - 240 US army enlisted males
were given words one at a time, then asked to recall them in any order. Condition One - Half of
participants were asked to recall words immediately (immediate recall) Condition Two - Other
half asked to count backwards for 30 seconds, then recall the terms (recall after distraction)
Findings for Glanzer and Cunitz - CORRECT ANSWER - Participants were more likely to
recall items near the start of the list (primacy effect). Also, participants have a higher chance of
recalling items at the end of the list (recency effect). Delaying recall by 30 seconds destroyed
recency effect, causing recall of later words to be similar to the ones in the middle, doesn't affect
primacy effect.
Criticism for Glanzer and Cunitz - CORRECT ANSWER - All participants are adult males
in the army, not randomly allocated to conditions.
Aim for Baddeley and Hitch 1976 - CORRECT ANSWER - To investigate if participants
can use different parts of working memory at the same time.
Method for Baddeley and Hitch 1976 - CORRECT ANSWER - Conducted an experiment
in which participants were asked to perform two tasks at the same time (dual task technique), a
digit span task which required them to repeat a list of numbers, and a verbal reasoning task
which required them to answer true or false to various questions (e.g., B is followed by A?).
Results for Baddeley and Hitch 1976 - CORRECT ANSWER - As the number of digits
increased in the digit span tasks, participants took longer to answer the reasoning questions, but
not much longer; only fractions of a second. And they didn't make any more errors in the verbal
reasoning tasks as the number of digits increased. The verbal reasoning task made use of the
central executive and the digit span task made use of the phonological loop.
, Criticism for Baddeley and Hitch 1976 - CORRECT ANSWER - Study is easily replicable
and reliability can be tested. Controlled condition increased scientific nature of study (extraneous
variables controlled) so high internal validity. Has low ecological validity
Aim for Milner et al - CORRECT ANSWER - to better understand the effects that the
surgery had on patient HM
Procedure for Milner et al - CORRECT ANSWER - method triangulation which included:
IQ testing (above average IQ), direct behaviour observation, interviews with both HM and his
family, cognitive testing: memory recall and learning tasks (reverse mirror drawing)
Findings for Milner et al - CORRECT ANSWER - the hippocampus plays a key role in the
transfer of info from short to long-term memory, is the area where the neurotransmitter
acetylcholine is believed to play an important role in learning and memory formation
Criticism for Milner et al - CORRECT ANSWER - low generalisability: single individuals
- non-replicable - some retrospective studies: not able to compare results to HM before
procedure, unable to obtain informed consent because HM had memory loss, longitudinal
(observed over 50 years), method triangulation, High ecological validity: no variables were
manipulated, HM was observed in his natural environment.
Aim for Brewer and Treyens - CORRECT ANSWER - To Investigate whether people's
memory for objects in a room (an office) is influenced by existing schemas about what to expect
in an office.
Procedure for Brewer and Treyens - CORRECT ANSWER - Participants arrived
individually to the laboratory and were asked to wait in an office containing objects (e.g.. desk,
typewriter, coffee-pot, calendar). There were also objects that did not conform to the office
schema (a skull, a piece of bark, a pair of pliers). After waiting for some time, participants were
taken out of the office and asked to write down everything they could remember from the room.
Findings for Brewer and Treyens - CORRECT ANSWER - Most participants recalled the
schematic objects (e.g. desk, typewriter). Some participants reported things that would be
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Aim for Glanzer and Cunitz - CORRECT ANSWER - examine whether the position of
words influences recall (primacy and recency effects) and see if there are two separate stores of
memory (STM and LTM)
Procedure for Glanzer and Cunitz - CORRECT ANSWER - 240 US army enlisted males
were given words one at a time, then asked to recall them in any order. Condition One - Half of
participants were asked to recall words immediately (immediate recall) Condition Two - Other
half asked to count backwards for 30 seconds, then recall the terms (recall after distraction)
Findings for Glanzer and Cunitz - CORRECT ANSWER - Participants were more likely to
recall items near the start of the list (primacy effect). Also, participants have a higher chance of
recalling items at the end of the list (recency effect). Delaying recall by 30 seconds destroyed
recency effect, causing recall of later words to be similar to the ones in the middle, doesn't affect
primacy effect.
Criticism for Glanzer and Cunitz - CORRECT ANSWER - All participants are adult males
in the army, not randomly allocated to conditions.
Aim for Baddeley and Hitch 1976 - CORRECT ANSWER - To investigate if participants
can use different parts of working memory at the same time.
Method for Baddeley and Hitch 1976 - CORRECT ANSWER - Conducted an experiment
in which participants were asked to perform two tasks at the same time (dual task technique), a
digit span task which required them to repeat a list of numbers, and a verbal reasoning task
which required them to answer true or false to various questions (e.g., B is followed by A?).
Results for Baddeley and Hitch 1976 - CORRECT ANSWER - As the number of digits
increased in the digit span tasks, participants took longer to answer the reasoning questions, but
not much longer; only fractions of a second. And they didn't make any more errors in the verbal
reasoning tasks as the number of digits increased. The verbal reasoning task made use of the
central executive and the digit span task made use of the phonological loop.
, Criticism for Baddeley and Hitch 1976 - CORRECT ANSWER - Study is easily replicable
and reliability can be tested. Controlled condition increased scientific nature of study (extraneous
variables controlled) so high internal validity. Has low ecological validity
Aim for Milner et al - CORRECT ANSWER - to better understand the effects that the
surgery had on patient HM
Procedure for Milner et al - CORRECT ANSWER - method triangulation which included:
IQ testing (above average IQ), direct behaviour observation, interviews with both HM and his
family, cognitive testing: memory recall and learning tasks (reverse mirror drawing)
Findings for Milner et al - CORRECT ANSWER - the hippocampus plays a key role in the
transfer of info from short to long-term memory, is the area where the neurotransmitter
acetylcholine is believed to play an important role in learning and memory formation
Criticism for Milner et al - CORRECT ANSWER - low generalisability: single individuals
- non-replicable - some retrospective studies: not able to compare results to HM before
procedure, unable to obtain informed consent because HM had memory loss, longitudinal
(observed over 50 years), method triangulation, High ecological validity: no variables were
manipulated, HM was observed in his natural environment.
Aim for Brewer and Treyens - CORRECT ANSWER - To Investigate whether people's
memory for objects in a room (an office) is influenced by existing schemas about what to expect
in an office.
Procedure for Brewer and Treyens - CORRECT ANSWER - Participants arrived
individually to the laboratory and were asked to wait in an office containing objects (e.g.. desk,
typewriter, coffee-pot, calendar). There were also objects that did not conform to the office
schema (a skull, a piece of bark, a pair of pliers). After waiting for some time, participants were
taken out of the office and asked to write down everything they could remember from the room.
Findings for Brewer and Treyens - CORRECT ANSWER - Most participants recalled the
schematic objects (e.g. desk, typewriter). Some participants reported things that would be
