War of the Ghosts and the Peterson and Peterson study

Overview

Bartlett's repeated and serial reproduction of the War of the Ghosts, and Peterson and Peterson's counting-backwards study of forgetting from short-term memory.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What was the aim of Bartlett's (1932) War of the Ghosts study?

   Model answer

   Bartlett aimed to see how memories of an unfamiliar Native American folk tale change over time. Bartlett wanted to show how culture and schemas shape recall.

2. 2

   Who were the participants in Bartlett's War of the Ghosts study?

   Model answer

   The participants were 20 English people from the University of Cambridge.

3. 3

   Describe Bartlett's method of repeated reproduction.

   Model answer

   Each participant read the story twice and recalled it about 15 minutes later. The same participant recalled the story again after intervals of days, weeks or years.

4. 4

   Describe Bartlett's method of serial reproduction.

   Model answer

   One participant's recall of the story was passed to another person to read and recall. The chain continued like a message passed along a line.

5. 5

   What happened to the length of the War of the Ghosts when it was recalled?

   Model answer

   The recalled stories became much shorter. Details that seemed unimportant or strange were left out.

6. 6

   Give an example of a detail in the War of the Ghosts that was changed to fit English culture.

   Model answer

   Canoes were often remembered as boats. Seal hunting was often recalled as fishing.

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