Short-Term Memory

Participants try to memorize and recall a list of unrelated words within a short time frame, demonstrating the limits of short-term memory capacity. They then attempt a second list organized into categories, showing how chunking strategies can improve recall.

1. Present participants with a list of 25 unrelated words.
2. Allow two minutes for participants to study and memorize the words.
3. After the time is up, remove the list and give participants two minutes to recall and write down as many words as possible.
4. Count the number of correct words recalled.
5. Repeat the activity using a second list of words that are grouped by categories (e.g., animals, colors, furniture, school, fruits).
6. Compare recall rates between the random list and the categorized list.

📄 A Simple DIY Short-Term Memory Experiment - verywellmind: https://www.verywellmind.com/a-short-term-memory-experiment-2795664

• Test with different list lengths (10, 20, or 30 words).
• Vary the study time (30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes) and see how it affects recall.
• Change the delay before recall (immediate vs. waiting several minutes).
• Try with images or numbers instead of words.

• Ensure participants do not feel pressured or judged for recall performance.

• How many words did you recall from the first random list? (Most people recall around 5–9 items, matching George Miller’s finding of 7±2.)
• Why was it easier to remember the second list? (Chunking and categorization help organize information in memory.)
• What other strategies might improve short-term memory performance? (Rehearsal, visualization, association, mnemonic devices.)