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Jensen 1 Lexi Jensen Professor Thompson NS261_RU03 2 November 2023 College Students Long-Term Memory Introduction: College students have a pressing need to memorize a large amount of information during their academic career. While rote practice can help in memorization, knowing other strategies to enhance memory can be useful. As with any other skill, however, practice improves performance. It is well-established that pictures are easier to remember than words (Gehring, Toglia, & Kimble, 1976; Hockley, 2008; Qureshi et al, 2014). Thus, using imagery as a memorization device can improve performance on word tests (Brehmer et al, 2008; Kaschel et al, 2002). In the Visualization and Association strategy, a word or concept to be memorized is first imagined as an image. For example, a person’s name, such as Mike, can be turned into a related image, such as a microphone. In the second step, the image is anchored to a feature related to the item being memorized. Using the previous example, a physical feature of Mike could be associated with the microphone, such as a large nose or a style of haircut. The more animated or vivid the image, the easier it is to remember. In order to test the effect of the visualization and association strategy on college students, we presented two lists of words to be memorized. Students used no specific strategy on the first list and then used the visualization and association strategy on the second list. Recall scores were

Jensen 2 then compared. We predicted that when students use the visualization strategy, they would be able to remember more words from the list. Methods: This experiment was conducted by Professor Thompson and included 66 test subjects that were all college students of mixed races, gender, and age. The independent variable in this experiment was the visualization technique to induce memorization. The dependent variable in this experiment was the number of terms each individual was able to recall in the long term. The experimental group and control group included the same test subjects throughout the experiment, but the test subjects were first identified as the control group and later became the experimental group. The control group was the group of test subjects that began the experiment. The test subjects were asked to memorize a set of random terms and then Professor Thompson distracted the test subjects for approximately five minutes. Once the five minutes were up, the test subjects were asked to write down as many terms as they could memorize from the list of random terms. The test subjects were then asked to count the number of terms they memorized and report the number to Professor Thompson. Once each individual reported their score to Professor Thompson, he had created a data sheet with every individual’s test results. Then the text subjects became the experimental group. Professor Thompson gave a lecture regarding a visualization and association memorization strategy. This strategy consists of visualizing an image in their mind and correlating it with a word, phrase, or an object. When professor Thompson concluded the short lecture, the test subjects were then given a new set of random terms to memorize. They were distracted by a lecture for approximately 5 minutes by Professor Thompson. After the five minutes had passed, they were asked to recall as many terms as they were able, and to write them down. Again, the test subjects were asked to count the number of

Jensen 3 terms they memorized and report the number to Professor Thompson, in which he reported on the data sheet. Now the data sheet consisted of the control group and the experimental group’s test results and contained enough data to form a conclusion. Results: The test results displayed a significant increase in the number of words memorized post memorization technique lecture. Prior to the visualization and association lecture the control group’s scores ranged from four words to fourteen words memorized. The average number of random terms a subject memorized was about 8 or 9 terms, with a standard deviation of about 2. After the visualization and association lecture the experimental group’s scores rose to a range from five to fourteen. The average rose to about 10 or 11 terms, with a standard deviation of about 2. The slight increase of the data represents the positive effect the lecture on visualization and association was in improving college student’s capability to memorize the random terms and therefore can improve long term memory skills. The data analysis and graphical representation is shown in figure 1 below. I also conducted an unpaired t test and displayed the results in figure 2 . This study represented many successful subjects with an increased long term memory score, but not every test subject increased their score. In fact, a few of the test subjects’ pre lecture scores were higher than their post lecture scores. Overall the results can objectively say that this may not work for everybody but over 87% of subjects will see improvement in their long term memory with the visualization and association technique.

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Jensen 4 Figure 1 Figure 2 Discussion: The outcome of this experiment proved the hypothesis true, that when students use the visualization strategy, they would remember more words from the list. When college students utilize the visualization and association technique, they have a higher chance of memorizing large chunks of terms for a longer period of time. Previous research has recognized that it is easier to remember pictures rather than words (Gehring, Toglia, & Kimble, 1976; Hockley, 2008; Qureshi et al, 2014). Thus imagery as a memorization device can improve performance on

Jensen 5 word tests (Brehmer et al, 2008; Kaschel et al, 2002). It is easier for our brain to memorize images because creating a mental image forces one to focus on the item, and reviewing the images reinforces the memory and helps consolidate it. The more animated or vivid the image is, the easier it is to remember it. In the study, almost all of the participating subjects had never heard of or tried the technique. This could have been one of the reasons that not every single test subject increased their score. A technique like this will continue to improve overtime, but it takes practice to master it. Although, the data from the study displayed an overall improvement of all scores. Therefore, with practice of the visualization and association technique, long term memory can be improved significantly.

Jensen 6 References Brehmer, Y., Li, S., Straube, B., Stoll, G., von Oertzen, T., Müller, V., et al. (2008). Comparing memory skill maintenance across the life span: Preservation in adults, increase in children. Psychology and Aging, 23, 227-238. Gehring, R. E., Toglia, M. P., & Kimble, G. A. (1976). Recognition memory for words and pictures at short and long retention intervals. Memory & Cognition, 4, 256-260. Hockley, W.E. (2008). The picture superiority effect in associative recognition. Memory and Cognition 36, 1351-1359 Kaschel, R., Della Sala, S., Cantagallo, A., Fahlböck, A., Laaksonen, R., & Kazen, M. (2002). Imagery mnemonics for the rehabilitation of memory: A randomized group controlled trial. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 12, 127 – 153. Qureshi, A., Rizvi, F., Syed, A., Shahid, A., and Manzoor, H. (2014). The method of loci as a mnemonic device to facilitate learning in endocrinology leads to improvement in student performance as measured by assessments. Adv Physiol Educ. 38, 140–144.

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