top of page

  Abstract

   

Observation on Whether Using a Mnemonic Device or a Facial Feature is more Effective in Remembering a Face's Name 

 

        The hypothesis was that if a variety of faces were shown to a group of people, then using a mnemonic device would be more helpful in memorizing their names than focusing on a facial feature because a mnemonic has a better connection to the actual name of the face. In the background research the researcher found that people are more likely to remember the first and the last thing they hear which is known as the “primary and recency effect”. To test the hypothesis, the researcher split participants into two groups: one set using mnemonic and the other facial feature. Participants were shown a series of ten printed faces for fifteen seconds while the researcher recited the names. The participants used an idea sheet to write mnemonic devices or prominent facial features. The participants then waited ten minutes. In the second part, the faces were shown in a different order and the participants had to write the names from memory. The hypothesis was supported as the average number of faces that participants were able to identify was greater by about 1.5 when mnemonic was used compared to facial feature. Women scored higher on average than men. The first, middle, and last face shown were remembered the most by the fifty-six participants in the experiment which demonstrated the “primary and recency effect”. This research could be used to show effective techniques that can help a person remember someone's name better.

 

Reference List

  • Alloway, T. P., & Parker, T. E. (2011). Training your brain for dummies. Chichester, West Sussex, England: Wiley.

 

bottom of page