Paired Associates Learning - Lab Report Example

Running Head: PAIRED aSSOCIATES LEARNING Enhanced By IMAGERY Rehearsal Conditions; Paired associates learning (PAL) enhanced by imagery Blake Webber Instructor: John Chung Section 9 10 / 30 / 2008 Abstract Which is more effective as a rehearsal tool visual imagery or verbal repetition' Despite numerous researches, it is questionable whether imagery instructions enhance the performance of an individual in paired associated learning. Furthermore, it is doubtful that verbal memory is better than visual memory in tasks such as recognition and identification. This study was carried out to identify whether visual imagery has a significant effect in enhancing individual's performance in paired associates learning compared to the usual verbal repetition. The members of four sections of LAPD served as participants in this study. Thirty-seven members were assigned to the imagery (experimental condition) and thirty-eight participants were assigned to the repetition condition (control). Data from each section were combined in the analysis. A set of 80 common, concrete nouns were provided in an appendix of Neath's text Human Memory. With the use of a random numbers table, 20 random pairs were created. Each subject participated in just one condition and the responses were divided into two groups: 1) word pairs 1-10; 2) word pairs 11-20. These conditions enabled the distinction of what factors have an effect on the performance of the participants, the subjects themselves or the order of the stimuli. Group data was analyzed T test. Result did not show any significant result (p> 0.05) deviated from the null hypothesis of equal contribution at the level of significant 0.05 for the overall effect of order (1-10 vs. 11-20). However, the effect of order showed significance for the imagery rehearsal condition. The total average of right answers by the participants showed a greater improvement for those in the imagery rehearsal condition. In conclusion imagery rehearsal condition enhances performance in paired associates learning. Introduction Paired-associate learning was "invented by Mary Whiton Calkins in 1894 and involves the pairing of two items (usually words)-a stimulus and a response" ("Paired-associate learning", n.d.). PAL is aided by mnemonic strategies (Kintsch, 1970 as cited in Chang, H. T., Klorman, R., Shaywitz, S. E., Fletcher, J. M., Marchione, K. E., Holahan, J. M., Stuebing, K. K., Brumaghim, J. T., Shaywitz, B. A., 1999). 'Encoding strategies employed in this and additional memory tasks include rehearsal, that is, simple repetition of the paired associations; organization by theoretical or semantic categories; elaboration, that is, generation of arbitrary relations between items'(Schneider & Bjorklund, 1998 as cited in Chang, H. T., et al.); or visualization, that is, formation of visual images (imagery) of something in mind ("Visualize", 2005). For decades, it has been an issue if what can help in enhancing the performance of an in paired-associate learning. For example, Rohwer (1966 as cited in Bower G. H. & Winzenz, D., 1970) stated that 'reading a declarative sentence linking the word pair as subject and object nouns generated better summon up than simply studying the pair without a sentence context'. Additionally, Bobrow & Bower (1969 as cited in Bower G. H. & Winzenz, D., 1970) established that 'college students kept in mind a noun pair much better if they generated their individual sentence linking the word pair rather than just learning the pair in a pre - constructed sentence'. There seems to be a gradual 'improvement in recall going from habitual repetition to It is often said that "visual memory is superior to verbal memory on recognition tasks" (Shepard, 1967; Standing, Conezio, & Harber, 1970 as cited in Jonides, Kahn, & Rozin, 1975). With this fact can we infer that visual imagery is a tool in doing a better work in paired-associate learning' This study will focus on the hypothesis that: Imagery rehearsal condition enhances performance in paired associates learning. Method Subjects The members of four sections of LAPD served as participants. Approximately half were assigned to the imagery (experimental condition) and the other half were assigned to the repetition condition (control). Selection of the sample Random selection from among the four sections was applied in this study. Thirty-eight participants were assigned to the repetition condition (control) while the remaining thirty-seven were allocated to the imagery test (experimental condition). Materials A set of 80 common, concrete nouns were provided in an appendix of Neath's text Human Memory. With the use of a random numbers table, 20 random pairs were created. Design Instructions: Each subject participated in just one condition. Thus, the instructional manipulation was a between subjects factor. Order: The responses were divided into two groups: 1) word pairs 1-10; 2) word pairs 11-20. This gives us an opportunity to examine how words are encoded into memory depending on position in which they are presented. Each subject has a first half and a second half thus order is a within-subject variable. Procedure During the learning phase, the word pairs were projected on a screen for five seconds each. During the test phase, the first word of each pair was presented on the answer sheet, and subjects were asked to fill in the corresponding second word of each pair. In this phase, all first words were presented in the same order in which they appeared during the learning phase. The instructional manipulation was carried out as follows: Repetition: "During the 5 second study period for each pair of words, the participants were asked to repeat the pair of words in their head (silently) over and over. This procedure called "rehearsal" will help the participants encode the memory." Imagery: "During the 5 second study period for each pair of words (e.g., bicycle & dog), the subjects were requested to try to visualize the two elements in the pair interacting in some way. For example, they might picture the dog riding a bicycle. This strategy called "visualization" will help them to encode the memory." Scoring (for the testing phase): Participants corrected their own tests as the experimenter read off the correct responses. As mentioned above, scores were broken down into: 1) number correct out of the first 10 pairs; 2) number correct out of the second 10 pairs; 3) total number correct out of twenty. Data Analysis Four t-tests were conducted: 1. The first t-test examined the overall effect of rehearsal condition (imagery vs. repetition). 2. The second examined the overall effect of order (1-10 vs. 11-20). To get a closer look at order effects, each rehearsal condition were examined separately: 3. Within the visual imagery group, t-test was done to see if there's an order effect. 4. Within the repetition group, additional t-test was done also. Statistical Analysis All data were entered in to an Excel spreadsheet. Participants' T-test (two tailed, independent sample) was performed (using MS Excel) to compare the mean probability of the experimental group with the control group. Results In this study 75 LAPD members participated; 38 participants underwent the "rehearsal" procedure while the other 37 participants did the "visualization" procedure. 1. The first t-test examined the overall effect of rehearsal condition (imagery vs. repetition). Table 1: Overall Effect of Rehearsal Condition Given the data in Table 1, there is a Mean Difference of 3.6572 and a Standard Error of the Difference of 0.9407. This gives a T value of 3.9 for a DF (Degree of Freedom) equal to 73. Using a 5% (0.05) level of significance, the critical level of T is 1.96. Thus we can conclude that there is a significant difference with the means for the overall effect of rehearsal condition ("Analyzing and Reporting," n.d.). 2. The second t-test examined the overall effect of order (1-10 vs. 11-20). Table 2: Overall Effect of Order Given the data in Table 2, there is a Mean Difference of 0.7733 and a Standard Error of the Difference of 0.419896. This gives a T value of 1.84 for a DF (Degree of Freedom) equal to 148. Using a 5% (0.05) level of significance, the critical level of T is 1.96. Thus we can conclude that there is no significant difference with the means for the overall effect of order ("Analyzing and Reporting," n.d.). 3. Within the visual imagery group, t-test was done to see if there's an order effect. Table 3: Effect of Order in the Visual Imagery Group Imagery/ Visualization #1-10 #11-20 Mean 8.08108108 6.89189189 Std 1.84659414 2.56887117 Given the data in Table 3, there is a Mean Difference of 1.1892 and a Standard Error of the Difference of 0.52. This gives a T value of 2.29 for a DF (Degree of Freedom) equal to 72. Using a 5% (0.05) level of significance, the critical level of T is 1.96. Thus we can conclude that there is a significant difference with the means for the effect of order in the visual imagery group ("Analyzing and Reporting," n.d.). 4. Within the repetition group, additional t-test was done also. Table 4: Effect of Order in the Repetition Group Repetition # 1-10 #11-20 Mean 5.84210526 5.47368421 Std 2.53117125 2.5966386 Given the data in Table 4, there is a Mean Difference of 0.3684 and a Standard Error of the Difference of 0.5882. This gives a T value of 0.63 for a DF (Degree of Freedom) equal to 74. Using a 5% (0.05) level of significance, the critical level of T is 1.96. Thus we can conclude that there is no significant difference with the means for the effect of order in the repetition group ("Analyzing and Reporting," n.d.). Discussion This study was conducted to find out any significance of imagery rehearsal condition in enhancing performance in paired associates learning. Thirty-seven members were assigned to the imagery (experimental condition) and thirty-eight participants were assigned to the repetition condition (control). Results were analyzed using T Test to determine any significance of imagery rehearsal condition in enhancing performance in paired associates learning. Probability of T test (p>0.05) explains that a significant difference in the performance of the participants is noted between the two groups. As shown in Table 1, the total average of right answers by the participants showed a greater improvement for those in the imagery rehearsal condition. Image rehearsal condition is affected by the order the word pairs or visual images are shown. This is evident in the T Test performed in number 3. Bower and Winzenz (1970) also reiterated that "visualization of interactive scenes produce best recall" and retention of the paired and associated words. "Imagery is the ability to produce mental pictures of things that have previously been seen or can be imagined visually; visual associations are used to facilitate memorization when old, familiar images are associated with images of information to be remembered" ("Association strategies," n.d.). Thus a conclusion can be reached that imagery rehearsal condition enhances performance in paired associates learning. However, the above this sample does not represents the general public. Age, psychological health, emotional and intelligent quotient may differ from the general population. Therefore these findings cannot be generalized. Further improvements should be done and additional components should be added for a more reliable outcome. References Paired-associate learning. (n.d.) In Psychology Encyclop'dia online. Retrieved October 29, 2008, from http://psychology.jrank.org/pages/467/Paired-Associate-Learning.html Analyzing and reporting biological data. (n.d.) In General Botany & Ecology Laboratory, Cedarville University. Retrieved October 29, 2008, from http://www.cedarville.edu/academics/sciencemath/silvius/2600/2600biostats.pdf Association strategies. (n.d.) In Learning Strategies Database. Retrieved October 29, 2008, from http://www.muskingum.edu/'cal/database/general/memory3.html Bower, G. H., Winzenz, D. (1970). Comparison of associative learning strategies. Psychon. Sci., Vol. 20: 119-120. Jonides, J., Kahn, R., Rozin, P. (1975). Imagery instructions improve memory in blind subjects. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, Vol. 5 (5): 424-426. Read More