Psychology Case

Abstract.

This study was conducted to test the dual coding theory along with intentional and incidental learning conditions. Previous research has been conducted considering both fields however many conflicting findings have been produced. This study aimed to see whether intentional conditions makes for a more successful learning outcome than incidental and if there would be a higher recall of concrete words than abstract by participants. 16 Psychology students were used as participants and were given instruction on how to carry out the experiment by the lecturer. Once completed all results were combined to find the mean overall score and to test if the results were significant and whether they supported the hypothesis. From the finding significant results were obtain for the recall of concrete versus abstract. However no significant results were produced for intentional learning versus incidental. A future study under improved conditions could produce more accurate results.

Introduction.

The general aim of the report was to demonstrate the participant's recall of concrete and abstract words under incidental and intentional learning conditions. Incidental learning is where the learner does not intentionally commit stimuli to memory, but retains information automatically. While Intentional learning is learning that is motivated and usually goal directed. In 1990 a study by Noldy, Stelmack & Campbell found that intentionally learned words were remembered better than incidentally learned words. However Eagle, Morris and Leiter (1964) suggested that although the intention to learn is crucial for learning it is only to the extent that it aids in the retention of information. Dual coding theory (DCT) was tested with the use of the concrete and abstract words. DCT suggests that there are two systems for processing information. Firstly a verbal system which stores linguistic information in verbal form and a non-verbal system with all other information from vision, audition, touch, taste and smell. Words with a mental image which is easily formed are known as concrete words (like ‘phone'), these words should be better recalled that abstract words (like ‘plead'). This is because concrete words would be expected to be coded in both the verbal system and the visual part of the non-verbal system, whereas abstract words would be less likely to be dual-coded. Richardson (2003) found that concrete nouns were better recalled than abstract nouns. 1n 1966, Dukes found a significantly higher recall of concrete words over abstract. Majority of previous research studies support DCT and seem to find the difference in recall of concrete versus abstract words greater. Thus the aim of this study is to clarify the role intentionally and incidental environments have on learning and in additional test concrete versus abstract in recall. It is expected