The Effects of Study

Condition Preference on

Memory and Free RecallLIANA, MARISSA, JESSI AND BROOKE

Introduction

-Salamè & Baddeley 1988

Presented nine digits on a computer screen for 750 milliseconds each, then 13 seconds were immediately given for recall.

Within subjects

Three music conditions:

Vocal music, instrumental music, and silence.

Results indicated that when participants were in the vocal music condition, they made significantly more errors during recall than the other two sound conditions.

Introduction

Boyle & Coltheart 1996

Five sound conditions:

Speech, unaccompanied singing, accompanied singing, instrumental music, and silence.

Within subjects

Experiment one:

Subjects read series of sentences, and were to decide if each sentence were properly constructed in English grammar.

No main effects result from sound conditions.

Experiment Two:

Subjects presented with a list of phonologically similar words, and a list of phonologically dissimilar words. Words were presented one at a time, and immediate written recall required after each list was presented.

Results indicated that vocal conditions significantly impaired recall compared to silence.

Introduction

Our Study

One Independent Variable Repeated Measures Design

Study condition preference:

Silence or Music

Short-term memory recall

Two lists of randomized words

Written recall

Participants

38 total participants

Chosen based on sample of convenience

24 females (63.2%) and 14 males (36.8%)

Average age = 24.87 (SD= 8.6)

Median age = 22

Modal age = 21

Age range = 38

Maximum = 56; Minimum = 18

Design

One independent variable repeated measure design

Within-subjects design

Age: _____ Gender: M F

1. Do you study with music or in silence?

Music Silence

2. What is your preferred type of music?

Country Rock Pop Reggae Other

3. What is an example of a song you would listen to when studying?

_____________________________________________________

Procedure

Give questionnaire

Flip a coin for condition (Heads= control, Tails= experimental)

Give word list for that condition (20 randomized words) with 90 seconds to study

Participants given 2 minutes to write down as many words as they can remember

Give blank sheet of paper and time for 2 min

2 minutes between the next trial

Give word list for next condition and time for 90 seconds

Have 2 minutes to write down as many words as they remember

Give blank sheet of paper and time for 2 min

Count up correctly recalled words and debrief participants

Results

Descriptives when not Separated by Preference:

Silence M=10.71, SD= 3.44; Music M=10.71, SD= 3.479

We took the difference between the Experimental and Control groups' number of words remembered, then added 7 so we would have only positive non zero numbers

Silence Condition M= 6.3158, SD= 2.5615

Music Condition: M= 7.6842, SD= 2.8098

Independent Samples T Test:

t (36)= -1.561, p= 0.125 (p>0.05) so there was no significant findings

Independent Samples T Test (to see if there was an order effect):

t (36)= -1.856, p= 0.072 (p>0.05)

No significant findings for Order Effect, which means doing one before the other didn't effect their testing

Differences Seperated by Preference Vs. Total Mean Graph

Figure 1. Total Mean Versus Difference Mean (+7)

Results

Compared Silence and Music preferred groups

Silence Preferred:

Silence M=11.42, SD= 3.82;

Music M= 10.74, SD=2.944

Music Preferred:

Silence M= 10.0, SD=3.194;

Music M=10.68, SD=3.83

Independent Samples T Test (Silence preferred):

t (36)=1.284, p=0.207 (p>0.05)

Independent Samples T Test (Music Preferred):

t(36)= 0.046, p=0.964, (p>0.05)

Mean Differences Separated by Preference Graph

Figure 2. Mean Difference Between Silence and Music Conditions

Discussion

Not significant results meaning that generalized, participants didn't recall

more or less words in either condition

Participants did not do better in their preferred condition either meaning

preference did not have an effect

Different from other studies-less words recalled with vocal music condition

Was a difference in results that could mean a significant effect but would

need more research to determine

Limitations

College students

Testing effects

Small number of participants

Little control over settings (headphones,

surroundings, background noises,

distractions, etc)

Future Implications

Expanded research to determine best studying

habits-more control among type of music and

music played among participants, different types

of music not including preference and impact on

memory, expand to age and age related

changes

Could apply to real world examples involving

concentration- effects of background music and

concentration

References

Baddeley, A., & Salamè, P. (1988). Effects of background music

on phonological short-term memory. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental

Psychology, 41(1), 107-122. doi:10.1080/14640748908402355

Boyle, R., & Coltheart, V. (1996). Effects of irrelevant sounds on

phonological coding in reading comprehension and short-term memory.

The Quarterly Journal Of Experimental Psychology A: Human Experimental

Psychology, 49A(2), 398-416. doi:10.1080/027249896392702