The Effect Chunking of Numbers has on Short-Term Memory Recall

Past studies have shown results that chunking has improved memory recall. However, previous experiments tend to focus on organised information, which had meaning to people, like FBI, so it was very likely that recall would be from long-term memory storage and not STM. In this study, nonsensical numbers will be used to test recall so that it is certain that information will be recalled from STM and not LTM. Participants of past studies also tend to be adults, so this study was conducted on students to explore a new age group.

Aim The aim of this study is to investigate the effect chunking of numbers has on short-term memory recall.

Hypothesis There will be a significant difference between the results of the two conditions. Chunking of numbers will improve memory recall of short-term memory: the number of correct numbers recalled in the second condition will be greater. Method Method and design This experiment was conducted using the experimental method. This was selected because it brings advantages such as the control of extraneous variables, which enables cause and effect to be established.

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Findings can also be repeated by others, increasing reliability of results. Participants were tested in two conditions, making it a repeated measures design.

This is suitable because it eliminates the extraneous variable of differences in everyone's memories. Variables The independent variable was the way that the lists of numbers used in the experiment were read. In condition one, numbers were read one by one, with the same lengths of pauses between each one.

In condition two, the numbers were put into chunks of three and read out. The dependent variable was the amount of material recalled in each condition. It was measured by comparing the number of correct numbers that participants could recall. Participants The target population was students attending park Lane College.

They were selected through the opportunity sampling method, which is an efficient, convenient and less time-consuming method since participants were chosen by chance . the same group of subjects did not participate in both conditions. Apparatus The experiment was carried out in different surroundings. Participants were seated. A list of numbers (see appendix 1) was read out for the test of recall in two conditions. Numbers in condition one was read one by one, with pauses in equal lengths between each letter. Letters in condition two were chunked into groups of three letters and read with pauses of equal lengths between each chunk.