Glanzer and Cunitz (1966) Experiment [IB Psychology]

Procedure

Glanzer and Cunitz presented two groups of participants with the same list of words. One group recalled the words immediately after presentation, while the other group recalled the words after waiting 30 seconds. These participants had to count backwards in threes (the Brown-Peterson technique), which prevented rehearsal and caused the recency effect to disappear. Both groups could free recall the words in any order.

Results

Participants recalled words from the beginning of the list (primacy effect) and the end of the list (the recency effect) best. The results showed a U-shaped curve.

1. The words at the end of the list are only remembered if recalled first and tested immediately. Delaying recall by 30 seconds prevented the recency effect.

2. If participants were given a filler task just after hearing the last words, the primacy effect disappeared but the recency effect remained.

3. The recency effect could be due to the words still being active in STM (working memory).

4. Rehearsal could be a factor in transfer of information into LTM.

Evaluation

1. The study supports the idea of multiple stores (STM and LTM).
2. This is a controlled laboratory study with highly controlled variables, but there is no random allocation of participants to experimental conditions so it is not a true experiment.
3. There may be problems with ecological validity.

Aim

To investigate recency effect in free recall (i.e. in any order).