The Effects of Ink Color on The Effects of Ink Color on the Accuracy of Recallthe Accuracy of Recall

Erika Douglas Erika Douglas

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James GiacomantonioJames Giacomantonio

IntroductionIntroduction

Encoding specificity is a cognitive Encoding specificity is a cognitive psychology paradigm. That psychology paradigm. That essentially describes the relationship essentially describes the relationship between encoding and retrieval.between encoding and retrieval.

It proposes that you are more It proposes that you are more accurate at recalling things when you accurate at recalling things when you are tested in the same environmental are tested in the same environmental conditions in which you encoded the conditions in which you encoded the informationinformation

IntroductionIntroduction

An experiment by Godden and An experiment by Godden and Baddeley (1975) showed encoding Baddeley (1975) showed encoding specificity when participants in two specificity when participants in two groups were asked to remember groups were asked to remember strings of numbers in two conditions in strings of numbers in two conditions in the water and on land. The results for the water and on land. The results for both conditions were improved when both conditions were improved when the testing conditon matched the the testing conditon matched the encoding conditionencoding condition

IntroductionIntroduction

We are trying to extend this We are trying to extend this paradigm to a reading paradigm to a reading comprehension taskcomprehension task

The color of the text for the task is The color of the text for the task is being manipulated. Control being being manipulated. Control being black and two experimental groups black and two experimental groups green and red.green and red.

IntroductionIntroduction

Our hypothesis is that the score on Our hypothesis is that the score on the reading comprehension task will the reading comprehension task will be greater for the control group then be greater for the control group then the experimental groupsthe experimental groups

The null hypothesis is that there will The null hypothesis is that there will be no difference between the groups be no difference between the groups on the reading comprehension taskon the reading comprehension task

Method: Participants, Method: Participants, Materials & ProcedureMaterials & Procedure

People from NS made up the population of People from NS made up the population of study; a sample within this population study; a sample within this population consisting of friends, family, or others who consisting of friends, family, or others who can be easily contact were included. 16 can be easily contact were included. 16 males and 20 females were used.males and 20 females were used.

This experiment consisted of 2 experimental This experiment consisted of 2 experimental groups, and one control group. There were groups, and one control group. There were 13 participants in the black group; 11 in the 13 participants in the black group; 11 in the green group, and 12 in the red group, giving green group, and 12 in the red group, giving a total of 36 participants in all. a total of 36 participants in all.

Method cont’dMethod cont’d

We used a short narrative of 450 words. It We used a short narrative of 450 words. It was written in 3 different colors of ink: black, was written in 3 different colors of ink: black, red, and green. The narrative was part of red, and green. The narrative was part of the GRE exam and contained information the GRE exam and contained information about zooplankton and phytoplankton, with about zooplankton and phytoplankton, with different theories relating to each. different theories relating to each.

Participants were given a seried of multiple Participants were given a seried of multiple choice questions, and a few demographic choice questions, and a few demographic questions. Their answers were compared to questions. Their answers were compared to a scoring sheet and scored accordingly.a scoring sheet and scored accordingly.

Method cont’dMethod cont’d

Each participant was required to read the Each participant was required to read the narrative. Participants in the control group narrative. Participants in the control group read the narrative written in black ink; read the narrative written in black ink; participants in the experimental groups participants in the experimental groups read the narrative written in either green or read the narrative written in either green or red ink (the colors were distributed equally).red ink (the colors were distributed equally).

We expected that those in the experimental We expected that those in the experimental groups would be less accurate than those in groups would be less accurate than those in the control group because of the effects of the control group because of the effects of ink color on the accuracy of recall.ink color on the accuracy of recall.

Method cont’dMethod cont’d

After having read the narrative and After having read the narrative and completed the multiple choice task, completed the multiple choice task, the participants were fully debriefed the participants were fully debriefed and dismissed. and dismissed.

The results of the multiple choice task The results of the multiple choice task were then compared with the scoring were then compared with the scoring sheet and the data was scored sheet and the data was scored according to the accuracy of the according to the accuracy of the participants results. participants results.

ResultsResults

Mean Score by Group:Mean Score by Group: (out of 8)(out of 8)Black: 3.2308Black: 3.2308Green: 3.3636Green: 3.3636Red: 2.9167Red: 2.9167

Mean Score by Gender:Mean Score by Gender: (out of 8) (out of 8)Male: 3.0000Male: 3.0000Female: 3.3000Female: 3.3000

FF (1,35)=.283, (1,35)=.283, pp = >.05 = >.05 There was no interaction between group There was no interaction between group

and accuracy of recall because .755>.05and accuracy of recall because .755>.05

Results cont’dResults cont’d

FF(1,35)= .377, (1,35)= .377, pp= >.05= >.05There was no interaction There was no interaction

between gender and accuracy of between gender and accuracy of recall because .543>.05recall because .543>.05

Although there are marginal Although there are marginal differences between the mean differences between the mean scores by group and gender, we scores by group and gender, we did not find significant results.did not find significant results.

DiscussionDiscussion

Our results did not support our hypothesis Our results did not support our hypothesis that ink color would effect the accuracy of that ink color would effect the accuracy of recall and that those in the experimental recall and that those in the experimental groups would be less accurate than those groups would be less accurate than those in the control group. in the control group.

We could not reject the null hypothesis We could not reject the null hypothesis because there was insufficient evidence at because there was insufficient evidence at .05 to conclude that ink color effects the .05 to conclude that ink color effects the accuracy of recall. accuracy of recall.

Discussion- Discussion- suggestions for suggestions for improvementimprovement

The mean score was only 3.13 out of 8, The mean score was only 3.13 out of 8, our test was probably too hard and our test was probably too hard and hence we experienced floor effects.hence we experienced floor effects.

There were only 8 questions, more There were only 8 questions, more questions could have lead to increased questions could have lead to increased powerpower

More standardized administration More standardized administration procedure would have lead to internal procedure would have lead to internal consistencyconsistency

Discussion- Discussion- suggestions for suggestions for improvementimprovement

A pilot study would have told us A pilot study would have told us these things and we could have these things and we could have made the correct alterationsmade the correct alterations

Questions?Questions?