Synthesis Essay: How Visual Imagery Can Aid Memory

Visual imagery enhances learning and retention of material. Several different experiments have been used to demonstrate how imagery can aid memory. Past researchers have focused on whether the images were vivid and interacting to the word pairing. The following experiment uses the bizarreness effect stating that unusual imagery to be encoded into the memory. The purpose of the study is to determine whether people will recall more word pairs when told to create a bizarre image instead of a common mental image. The hypothesis is that the type of instruction will have an effect on the number of words recall as well as the instruction group for bizarre images will recall more than the instruction group for common image

The participants were 50 undergraduate students, 6

The experiment used a 2 x 2 (instruction group x word pair) design. First, a rating sheet was used to determine how bizarre or common the words were. A different group from the one participating in the experiment was used. The top 25 of the bizarre and the top 25 of the common word were used to create the list. A VVIQ (Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire) was used to determine the participant’s imagery ability; the questionnaire contained four scenarios with four prompts. They were to read the scenario and imagine and describe it; after all four where done, they were to rated it in a 5-point scale on vividness. The VVIQ was run twice, once with the participants eyes open and one with their eyes closed. After completing the VVIQ, participants were told the experiment will take place on a computer and that word-pairs will appear on the screen. Depending on the instruction group that they will be in,