ERIC Number: ED274962
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1986-Aug
Pages: 48
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The Effect of Colour-Word Interference on Children's Memory for Words.
Malliet, Gineva M.
The Stroop color-word test involves a conflict situation in which subjects are asked to say aloud the ink color used to print a color word on a card. Interference occurs when the ink color is in conflict with the color word, such as 'red' printed in green ink. On the other hand, little interference occurs when asked to name the color words themselves, regardless of ink color. A study examined this interference effect on children's immediate retention of words printed in color. Subjects, 70 boys and girls, 8 and 9 years old, were pretested for memory ability on a criterion list of 20 neutral words printed in black and white, and assigned to one of three stimulus conditions. In the first, subjects were presented with color words printed in related colors; in the second, subjects were presented with the same color words, but printed in unrelated colors; and in the third, subjects were presented with the same color word printed in black and white. Results of the immediate recall test indicated that the scores for the related color group were superior to those of the unrelated color group, but only for memory as opposed to correct spelling. Mean scores for the unrelated group were also the lowest of the three conditions for both memory and spelling. No other significant differences were detected between the three groups. Results did not support assumptions that the motivational benefits of color in educational materials automatically lead to increased learning. An eight-page bibliography and five data tables are appended. (HTH)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Dissertations/Theses - Masters Theses
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Stroop Color Word Test
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A