Pointers for debriefing : Release from PI
Aim and purpose of the experiment : How performance reduces from trial 1-3 because the items to
be remembered are similar and how it increases in trial 4 when there is a change in category
Explanation of all 3 conditions. Explain their condition, then the other 2 participants
- Show the different test-trial cards
- Explain the difference between all 3 test-trial cards ( fruits, vegetables, professions)
Displaying of results. Show record sheet.
- Show them their own performance as well as that of the other 2 participants
- Referring to relevant sections, explain why performance dropped from trial 1 - 3 (All were fruits
so that was the only cue, could lead to confusion as fruits from previous lists may come to mind).
- Point to table 1 and show how some fruits from trial 1 may be recalled in trial 2 and 3
Then explain the shift in performance in trial 4 (test-trial).
- If fruits were shown again, the performance fell even more
- If vegetables were shown, number of vegetables remembered is more than fruits on previous
trials since vegetables are a different category
- If professions shown, then number of professions remembered is much more than number of
fruits on previous trials. Also more than number of vegetables remembered by the other
participant. This is because both vegetables and fruits grow in the ground and have seeds.
However, professions share no similarity with fruits and is totally different
- Thus vegetables : entirely different cue, no confusion
- Pointing to Table 2, show them the difference in the number of words recalled across all 3 trials.
If fruits shown to you were classified in a specific manner (citrus, berries, one seed fruits) there may
have been better recall
Similar effects observed in daily life
- TV News, if all news similar category, less recall
- The effect of remembering better when there is a category shift : ‘Release from PI’
- Implications for studying : focus on conceptual meaning, category shifts (different subjects/
chapters) - reduction of interference
- If you use categorisation to segregate material, even better recall
Any questions? Anything to be explained again? Please don’t tell. Thank you. Bye