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Is memory for plans unique? a study using common nouns as stimuli.

Hama Watanabe¹, Jun Kawaguchi

¹Nagoya University, Japan. hama@p.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Psychological Reports

|December 14, 2004

Summary

This study investigated if the U-shape memory effect applies to common nouns. Results showed no time-of-day effect, suggesting this memory pattern is unique to recalling fictitious plans.

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Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Memory Studies

Background:

Previous research indicated a U-shape effect in memory for fictitious plans, with better recall for morning and evening tasks compared to afternoon.
The U-shape effect suggests optimal performance during certain times of day, potentially linked to circadian rhythms.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine if the U-shape memory effect is exclusive to memory for plans or if it extends to other memory materials.
To investigate the recall of common nouns based on the time of day they were memorized.

Main Methods:

Two free recall experiments were conducted with undergraduate participants.
Experiment 1 involved memorizing pairs of 'hour' and 'common noun'.
Experiment 2 involved memorizing pairs of 'number' and 'common noun'.

Main Results:

No statistically significant effect of time of day on the recall of common nouns was observed in either experiment.
The findings did not replicate the U-shape memory effect when using common nouns as memory material.

Conclusions:

The U-shape effect observed in prior studies on memory for plans appears to be specific to plan-based memory tasks.
The results suggest that the temporal pattern of memory performance may depend on the nature of the material being memorized.

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