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Further studies on the encoding parameters of action events: Research on related and unrelated subject-performed tasks
Abstract
In two separate studies, the relationship between encoding variability and recall for subject-performed tasks (SPTs), was examined. Previous research had indicated acting out minitasks during the learning phase required different memory laws than those laws developed from linguistic material. In the first study, high school students were presented with a list of 20 discrete and unrelated minitasks in a one-time trial learning paradigm. Control subjects were given the directives, acted out each imperative as given, then asked for recall of the total list of SPTs. The experimental conditions included an attention group which repeated the imperative after first given by the experimenter, an elaboration group which was given the SPTs twice with the second repetition an elaboration on the wording of the original SPT, and a paraphrase condition in which subjects paraphrased the wordings of the SPT. Results indicated paraphrasing and externally-imposed elaborations enhanced recall; however, encoding variability did not affect recall for position order of the individual SPTs. In the second study, a series of 20 SPTs which were goal-directed steps toward completion of a prototype chemistry experiment, were presented to high school students. The 20 steps were divided into five sequential sub-goals with four sequential steps within each sub-goal. In the pause experimental condition subjects were asked to pause after enacting the four steps of each sub-goal. Subjects in the advance organizer condition were given an organizer prior to enacting the four steps of each sub-goal. The post organizer condition was given the organizer after enacting the sub-goal steps. Results indicated the encoding variables did enhance recall and also enhanced recall for correct position order. Both studies examined serial position trends for item and order recall. Contrasts between primacy and recency effects also were examined within serial position results. The results from the two experiments were discussed in relationship to the prevailing theories of memory encoding and storage, specifically as related to the short-term and long-term mechanistic memory model. The findings from the studies suggest that flexible memory models can account for encoding parameters for action events within the same rules as those applicable to linguistic material.
Subject Area
Educational psychology|Psychology|Experiments
Recommended Citation
McNickle, Bruce Clark, "Further studies on the encoding parameters of action events: Research on related and unrelated subject-performed tasks" (1989). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9004693.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9004693