Question

The results of the 6th ZAPS assignment (Sensory Memory) revealed a much lower rate of successful letter

recall than would be expected on the basis of Sperling's original iconic memory experiment discussed in
class. Which of the following is NOT a likely reason for this major discrepancy in the results?
A. Participants had to recall the presented letters by typing them or by choosing (via clicking) from an array of possible letters; either way, the recall likely proceeded more slowly than simply saying the letters out loud
B. ZAPS used a visual cue, rather than an auditory cue, to indicate which row of letters to recall, thus creating some visual interference
C. ZAPS implemented only the whole-report method, not the partial-report method, for the recall of letters, thus failing to simulate the most important part of Sperling's original study
D. None of the above (i.e., all of them are likely reasons for the result discrepancy)

Answer 1

Option C, which suggests the use of only the whole-report method in the ZAPS assignment as the reason for result discrepancies, is not a likely reason compared to others. This is because changes in recall method and use of visual cues (options A and B) are more impactful in explaining the differences from Sperling's study.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question pertains to the possible reasons for the discrepancy in results between a 6th ZAPS assignment on Sensory Memory and the findings of Sperling's original iconic memory experiment. A potential reason that is not likely responsible for the discrepancy is option C, which states that ZAPS implemented only the whole-report method and not the partial-report method, not capturing the crucial aspect of Sperling's study. This choice suggests a misunderstanding of the experimental methods used in the ZAPS assignment relative to Sperling's study.

Reasons A and B describe changes in recall methodology and the use of visual rather than auditory cues, both of which could have potentially impacted the results of the ZAPS assignment. However, the introduction of a new recall methodology or interference does not directly relate to the implementation of whole-report versus partial-report methods, making option C unlikelier than the others to account for the results discrepancy.