Godden and Baddeley (1975)- Divers

Godden and Baddeley (1975)- Divers

1. AIM

   • To test the Cue Dependant Theory
   • Can a natural environment act as a cue for recall?
   • To identify whether words would be recalled best in either same environment or in a very different one

2. METHOD

   • 18 participants
     • Both male and female
       • 13 male- 5 female
     • University diving club (diving holiday)
   • Field Experiment
   • Repeated Measures design

3. PROCEDURE

   • Participants were given word lists to learn
     • 36 words
     • Unrelated- 2/3 syllables
   • Words recorded on tape (DUC devices), so the divers could hear taped words and instructions
   • Practice session- learn breathing technique
   • Lists were presented twice
     • After the 2nd time, participants heard 15 numbers they had to write down
       • Stop words remaining in short term memory
   • 4 conditions, dry-dry, wet-dry etc

4. CONDITIONS

   • DRY CONDITION
     • Sitting by the water with gear on
   • WET CONDITION
     • 20 feet below surface, weighed down

5. RESULTS

   • Words learnt + recalled in same context were recalled best
   • Mean recall was around 50% higher when it took place in the same environment as learning
   • For example
     • Water + Water= 32%
     • Water + Land= 24%

6. CONCLUSION

   • Results demonstrate how the environment can act as a context cue
     • Helps aid recall
     • Prevents forgetting