Effects of sequence length and pattern recognition on numerical memory

Psychology Memory Experiment

In human memory, many factors are capable of influencing the outcome of memory exercise. Naturally, the complexity and amount of information is an important variable. However, other elements such as organization and form can also influence memory exercises substantially. This experiment demonstrates the manner in which the length and organization of numerical sequences can affect memorization success.

Experimental Hypothesis

The major experimental hypothesis is that accuracy and ease of the memorization of numerical sequences will decrease as the length of numerical sequences increases. In the devised experiment to test this hypothesis, the independent variable is the length of the numerical sequence and the dependent variable is the accuracy of memorization attempts. A minor hypothesis is that accuracy is also influenced by recognizable patterns. More specifically, numerical sequences that can be easily memorized in the same manner as familiar patterns (such as telephone numbers) are likely to be more easily memorized than longer sequences and those less easily perceived in familiar patterns.

Results

The results of the experiment were that performance remained consistently good in all subjects until they reached the 8-digit sequence. All four of the subjects successfully remembered the 4-digit, 5-digit, 6-digit, and 7-digit sequences accurately. Three of four subjects remembered the 8-digit sequence and none of the subjects was able to remember the 9-digit or 10-digit numerical sequence.

57214

359721

9254638

28371569

732496851

6547893217

David

X

X

X

Arlene

X

X

X

Karen

X

X

X

Steve

X

X

Discussion

The results seemed to confirm the experimental hypotheses. Moreover each of the subjects indicated separately that he or she had broken up the numerical sequences to aid memorization. More specifically, each subject responded that he or she had used the familiar form of 7-digit telephone numbers to assist in memorizing all of the sequences.

Even in the case of sequences shorter than 7-digits, the subjects all indicated that they "heard" the sequences as the first numbers of a telephone number; they also indicated that they consciously attempted to memorize the 7-digit sequence as a telephone number. As hypothesized, performance dropped dramatically after the 7-digit sequence. The one subject who managed to remember the 8-digit sequence said that he still heard the "rhythm" of a telephone number in connection with the 8-digit sequence. Further research should investigate the differences in memorization using test elements that cannot be as easily adapted into pneumonic techniques to determine the respective roles of the complexity and form of information.