Project Topic IdeasProject Topic Ideas

PSY 331.07

Fall 2004

Remembering LocationsRemembering Locations

1) Is location memory more accurate for important items than for less important items? How do landmarks affect location memory?

• 2 conditions (between-subjects): important items, near landmark

• DV: accuracy?

2) Does the presence of landmarks increase the accuracy with which people remember the locations of objects? • 2 conditions (between-subjects):

landmark, no landmark• DV: accuracy of location

placements following learning

Gender Differences in Direction Gender Differences in Direction Giving and FollowingGiving and Following

3) Are there gender differences in direction-giving using a map?• 2 groups (quasi-experiment): men,

women• DVs: number and type of

information pieces in directions to destination; time to produce directions

4) Are there gender differences in direction-giving for navigation using campus locations?• 2 groups (quasi-experiment): men,

women• DV: type of information in

directions to destination (e.g., landmarks, cardinal descriptors)

5) Are there gender differences in the ability to find locations based on verbal descriptions including landmarks?• 2 groups (quasi-experiment): men,

women• 2 conditions (between-subjects):

landmarks given, landmarks not given• DV: time to find destination based on

directions given

6) Are there gender differences in the accuracy with which people judge distances between objects in photographs? Does accuracy depend on the actual distance between objects?• 2 groups (quasi-experiment): males, females• 6 conditions (within-subjects): various

distances between objects in the photographs

• DV: accuracy in judging distance (select from 5 alternatives)

7) Are there gender and developmental differences in young children’s descriptions and placements of locations?• 2 groups (quasi-experiment): 3yrs, 4yrs• 2 groups (quasi-experiment): males,

females• DVs: prepositions used to describe

locations relative to landmarks; number of repetitions needed prior to correct placement of locations

Using Landmarks: During Using Landmarks: During Navigation and CommunicationNavigation and Communication

8) Are there differences in the efficiency with which people use directions including landmarks or cardinal descriptors to navigate on campus? • 2 conditions (within-subjects): directions

including landmarks, directions including cardinal descriptors

• DVs: navigation time; number/type of errors during navigation

9) How does the presence of multiple landmarks influence the development of judgments of nearbyness?• 3 groups (quasi-experiment): 3yrs,

4yrs, college students• Conditions??• DV: proportion of “by” judgments

(might also include other spatial prepositions)

Locomotion Affects Spatial Locomotion Affects Spatial CognitionCognition

10) Does distance estimation differ as a function of the method of locomotion?• 2 conditions (within-subjects): walk

between locations, drive between locations

• DV: distance estimation between locations

11) Does movement influence the accuracy with which people give directions for navigation?• 2 conditions (between-subjects):

movement allowed, no movement allowed

• DV: time to navigate (give directions?)

Other TopicsOther Topics

12) Do the spacing and context of studying affect test performance? What is the relation between studying strategies and test strategies and anxiety?• 2 conditions (between-subjects): block-

study, study-break• 2 conditions (between-subjects): study

alone, study with a group• DVs: test performance (also study and test

strategies and test anxiety)

13) How do social skills differ for children who are home-schooled and those who attend public schools?• 2 groups (quasi-experiment): home-

schooled, public-schooled• DVs: personality, public speaking

comfort, social skills

14) How does distraction during video game playing influence flight simulator performance?• 2 conditions (between-subjects):

distraction during video game playing, no distraction during video game playing

• DV: flight simulator performance (pre-/post-design)

15) How does style of dress affect people’s perceptions of others?• 2 conditions (between-subjects):

professional dress, hip-hop dress• DV: judgments concerning other