Cog Psych Research topics

[Mark A. Casteel]

Hi folks. I have a request. In my cognitive psych course, I always have my students work on group research projects where they actually collect data and then present it at a Cognitive Psychology Research Fair. In order to try and facilitate positive outcomes (although it doesn't always work), I have the students replicate classic studies in the field, although I generally let the students conceptualize how they want to define and manipulate their critical variables. Since I was on sabbatical last year, I haven't taught the course since the fall of 1999, and I'm looking for some new research ideas/topics. I would appreciate any ideas you can suggest (along with some suggested new twists that might be fun to try). If you can provide the complete citation, that would be an added bonus. I've attached my own list of topics below. Thanks in advance to all who respond.  -- Mark

Here is a list of articles/topics that I've used in the past:

Memory for scripted info: Bower, G. H., Black, J. B., & Turner, T. J. (1979). Scripts in memory for text. Cognitive Psychology, 11, 177-220.

Thematic effects on recall: Bransford, J. D., & Johnson, M. K. (1972). Contextual prerequisites for understanding: Some investigations of comprehension and recall. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 11, 717-726.

Recognition failure of recallable words.   Episodic memory:  When recognition fails.  Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 104, 5-29.

Creating false memories: Roediger, H. L. & McDermott, K. B. (1995). Creating false memories: Remembering words not presented in lists. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 21, 803-814.

Levels of Processing:   Levels of processing:  A framework for memory research.  Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 11, 671-684.

Interactive imagery and memory for ads: Lutz, K. A., & Lutz, R. J. (1977). Effects of interactive imagery on learning: Applications to advertising. Journal of Applied Psychology, 62, 493-498.

Bizarre imagery and recall: Kroll, N. E. A., Schepeler, E. M., & Angin, K. T. (1986). Bizarre imagery: The misremembered mnemonic.  Journal of Experimental Psychology:  Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 12, 42-53.

Recall after a shift in perspective:  Recall of previously unrecallable information following a shift in perspective. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 17, 1-12.

Recall with and without an appropriate context: Bransford, J. D., & Johnson, M. K. (1973). Considerations of some problems of comprehension. In W. G. Chase (Ed.), Visual information processing. Orlando, FL: Academic Press.

Explicit vs. implicit memory: Eich, E. (1984). Memory for unattended events: Remembering with and without awareness. Memory & Cognition, 12, 105-111 ** This one hasn't worked very well.

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Mark A. Casteel, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology

Penn State York

1031 Edgecomb Ave.

York, PA  17403

(717) 771-4028

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