Lab 4: Memory Span Analyses

Fabio Setti

PSYC 2401 Lab


Memory Span Analyses

Today’s hypotheses

Last time we completed lab 24.Memory Span. The hypotheses related to this lab that we will test today are:

  • Hypothesis 1: The type of stimulus (digit, letter, word) will have a significant effect on memory span.
  • Hypothesis 2: Memory span for digits will be significantly higher than memory span for words.
  • Hypothesis 3: Memory span for digits and letters will not be significantly different. Similarly, memory span for letters and words will not be significantly different.

Please, download the Memory_span_data.sav file from blackboard and open it with SPSS. Looking at what data is available to you should help you to get your bearings!

Your Turn: Method


  • Participants: What are the demographics of the participants?


  • Materials: How were the variables measured? What are the IVs and DVs?


  • Procedure: How did the experiment work?



  • Hypothesis 1: The type of stimulus (digit, letter, word) will have a significant effect on memory span.
  • Hypothesis 2: Memory span for digits will be significantly higher than memory span for words.
  • Hypothesis 3: Memory span for digits and letters will not be significantly different. Similarly, memory span for letters and words will not be significantly different.

Your Turn: Results

Analysis time!

  • What are the descriptive statistics of our variables (Mean, SD)?


  • What analyses should we run to test our hypotheses?


  • What are the results?



  • Hypothesis 1: The type of stimulus (digit, letter, word) will have a significant effect on memory span.
  • Hypothesis 2: Memory span for digits will be significantly higher than memory span for words.
  • Hypothesis 3: Memory span for digits and letters will not be significantly different. Similarly, memory span for letters and words will not be significantly different.

Your Turn: Discussion


  • Briefly summarize the results.


  • Were the hypotheses supported?


  • Are there any limitations that should be mentioned?



  • Hypothesis 1: The type of stimulus (digit, letter, word) will have a significant effect on memory span.
  • Hypothesis 2: Memory span for digits will be significantly higher than memory span for words.
  • Hypothesis 3: Memory span for digits and letters will not be significantly different. Similarly, memory span for letters and words will not be significantly different.

Any Questions? 🤔

…And Class is over!🙃

Lab 4: Memory Span Analyses