The fact that the last items on a list are remembered better than the middle ones is known as which of the following? Primacy effect Last term effect Recency effect Presentation effect
Advanced Placement (AP) · High School · Tue Nov 03 2020
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The Recency Effect is a cognitive bias in memory recall where items presented at the end of a list or sequence are more easily remembered than those presented in the middle. This effect is a component of the serial position effect, which describes how the position of an item in a sequence influences its likelihood of being recalled.
The Recency Effect is thought to be influenced by short-term memory processes. When people are asked to recall a list of items, those presented most recently are still in their short-term memory, making them more easily retrievable. This effect tends to be more pronounced when there is a delay between the presentation of the list and the recall task, as short-term memory has a greater influence.
On the other hand, the Primacy Effect refers to the tendency to better remember items presented at the beginning of a list. Together, the Primacy Effect and the Recency Effect contribute to the overall serial position curve, where items at the beginning and end of a list are remembered more effectively than those in the middle.
Understanding these effects has practical applications in various fields, such as education and marketing, where the order of presentation can impact how well information is retained and recalled.