The effect of text representation

1. PYY-MQN-YMS-UYU-MUH The effect of text representation on memorization UCX-HGP-HTV-VDU-FLV KHV-FYT-XRT-FTY-HTS

2. Introduction • The basic unit of the brain and subsequently memory is the neuron. • Both long and short-term memories are based on the strengthening of the synapse. • A synapse is the gap between a dendrite and an axon that impulses flow across. • With short-term memories, the synapse is only strengthened temporarily. • In the case of long-term memories, the synapse is strengthened permanently.

3. Introduction (cont.) • There are three main types of memory: sensory, short term, and long term. • Sensory memory appears to store information effectively 500 ms. • If for some reason the memory is to be retained, it is sent to the short-term memory to be stored for later use. • Long term memory involves storage of information for long periods of time typically spanning anywhere from thirty seconds to a lifetime and has a massive storage capability. • Long term memory is known to degrade over time if not accessed periodically. • Once a memory goes into the long-term memory, it can them be retrieved back into the short-term memory.

4. Introduction (cont.) • Short term memory has a limited amount of storage. • The most widely accepted amount is 7±2 elements. • The short term memory, which is the focus of this experiment, can store an item for roughly 20 seconds. • An ‘element’ can consist of numbers, words, letters etc.

5. Purpose • The purpose of the experiment is to explore the effect of color on short term memory retention. • While the range of applications are limited to computerized displays and items that mainly apply to short term memory, the results can still apply to a wide range of situations. • An initial application could be websites: any information that needs to be remembered while someone is navigating, such as directional information and instructions. • This can be expanded to games for quickly memorized instructions and directions plus many other related uses.

6. Null Hypothesis There will be no significant difference in the recall of the differently colored strings of characters

7. import javax.swing.JApplet; import java.awt.Color; import java.awt.Graphics; import java.awt.event.MouseEvent; import java.awt.event.MouseListener; import java.util.*; public class matGen { Random rand = new Random(); char [][][] matrix = new char [3][2][11]; String s; int gx = rand.nextInt(3); int gy = rand.nextInt(2); public static void main( String args[] ){ for( int x = 0; x < 3; x++ ){ for( int y = 0; y < 2; y++ ){ for( int z = 0; z < 11; z++ ){ int dec = rand.nextInt(25) + 65; matrix [x][y][z] = (char)dec; } } } for( int i = 0; i < 100; i++ ){ int ax = rand.nextInt(3); int ay = rand.nextInt(2); int bx = rand.nextInt(3); int by = rand.nextInt(2); int cx = rand.nextInt(3); int cy = rand.nextInt(2); int az = rand.nextInt(11); int bz = rand.nextInt(11); int cz = rand.nextInt(11); System.out.print( matrix [ax][ay][az] ); System.out.print( matrix [bx][by][bz] ); System.out.print( matrix [cx][cy][cz] + "-" ); s += (matrix [ax][ay][az] + matrix [bx][by][bz] + matrix [cx][cy][cz]); } } } Materials • Subjects- 14 male honors biology students from Central Catholic High School • Digital projector • Randomly generated letters created by a separate java program • Test sheets

8. Procedure • Create groups of randomly generated characters. In this experiment, five groups of three letter-only characters are used. • Instruct the subjects to remain quiet, and not look at each other's test sheets. • Display characters on the projector for ten seconds then, remove the characters showing a blank screen for ten seconds. • finally, instruct the subjects to write down as much as they can remember. • Collect and record data.

9. Data

10. P-Values ANOVA- 0.147421 0.737 0.754 0.703

11. Analysis Due to the p-value being greater than 0.017 (.05 divided by three comparisons), the null can be accepted.

12. Conclusion • Limitations: • More subjects being tested • Better recording and analysis system (as opposed to pencil and paper) to allow for more trials. • This project only applied to a rather narrow range of applications and situations. • More experiments would be helpful in understanding the effects of color in: • long term memory • non-computerized display situations • wider range of representational options including background, and font-type.

13. Acknowledgements • Here is a list of references used during this project: • Special thanks to Dr. John W. Wilson for his guidance in statistical analysis. • "Cognitive Processes." Think Quest. 17 Dec. 2007 <http://library.thinkquest.org/26618/en- 5.2.1=levels%20of%20memory+intr.htm>. • Fields, Douglas R. "Making Memories Stick." Scientific American 24 Jan. 2005. 17 Dec. 2007 <http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=000519BF-3128-11E8-A28583414B7F0000>. • "Forgetting Curve." Wikipedia. 17 Dec. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgetting_curve>. • "Long-Term Memory." Wikipeida. 17 Dec. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_term_memory>. • "Memory." Wikipedia. 16 Dec. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory>. • "Sensory Memory." Wikipedia. 17 Dec. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensory_memory>. • "Short-Term Memory." Wikipedia. 17 Dec. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_term_memory>.