Question

The recency effect is when items presented at the _____ of a list are remembered.

a) first
b) end
c) first and end
d) middle

Answer 1

The correct option is b) end. The recency effect refers to the tendency to remember items presented at the end of a list. It shows how position affects memory retention, with the last items being more memorable.

Step-by-step explanation:

The recency effect is a phenomenon that describes how individuals tend to remember items presented at the end of a list more effectively than those in the middle or the beginning. When information is presented in a sequence, the last items are more likely to be retained in an individual's short-term memory, which increases the likelihood of recall.

In cognitive psychology, this effect, along with the tendency to remember items at the beginning of a list (the primacy effect), is explained by the serial position effect. Together, these effects demonstrate how the positioning of information can significantly influence memory retention. The correct answer to the student's question is therefore that the recency effect is when items presented at the end of a list are remembered.

The recency effect is when items presented at the end of a list are remembered. This means that the items that come last in a list are more likely to be retained in memory compared to those in the middle or at the beginning.