A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

What aspect of memory was primarily investigated in Grant et al (1998)?

1. Procedural memory

2. Long-term memory

3. Context-dependent memory

4. Short-term memory

The correct answer is: Context-dependent memory

The study conducted by Grant et al. (1998) primarily focused on context-dependent memory, which addresses how the environmental context in which information is learned can affect recall. The researchers examined the effects of studying in the same environment where the material would later be tested. This aligns with the concept of context-dependent memory, where retrieval is improved when the physical or environmental context during retrieval matches that during encoding. In their experiment, participants studied a passage of information in either a quiet room or a noisy environment. They were then tested on that information in the same or a different environment. The results showed that participants who studied and were tested in the same context performed significantly better than those who had a mismatch between study and test environments, providing strong empirical support for the context-dependent memory theory. The findings highlight the importance of environmental cues in facilitating memory retrieval. The other options involve different aspects of memory that were not the focus of Grant et al.'s research. Procedural memory relates to the unconscious retention of skills and actions; long-term memory encompasses the system for storing large amounts of information over extended periods; while short-term memory involves brief retention of information. None of these areas were the primary focus of Grant et al.'s study.