Define the serial position curve and discuss why it is relevant to everyday living. Give examples.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Student examples will vary. A sample answer follows.
When researchers ask people to study a list of words and then answer questions about how many words they remember, and then the researchers put the resulting data into a graph, that graph almost always shows the serial position curve. The curve is high on both ends and low in the middle, indicating that people tend to have lower recall for words that are in the middle of the word list.
People tend to remember the first words on the list. Scientists call this the primacy effect. The brain is better at encoding when it begins a task. Primacy effects are quite strong.
People also tend to remember the last words on a list, and scientists call this the recency effect. It is easier for the brain to retrieve information that was recently learned. Recency effects can be strong, but including a delay between the study period and the test often wipes them out.
Understanding the serial position curve will help me in my everyday life. When I need to study for a test or quiz, I will try to study the most important information first. Also, right before the exam, I will review a list of facts or concepts that I have trouble with.