Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was the primary finding regarding the relationship between cortisol and memory recall?
What was the primary finding regarding the relationship between cortisol and memory recall?
What did the researchers conclude about the differences in performance between the low-dose and placebo groups?
What did the researchers conclude about the differences in performance between the low-dose and placebo groups?
What was a limitation of the study regarding extraneous variables?
What was a limitation of the study regarding extraneous variables?
What ethical consideration was mentioned regarding the participants in the study?
What ethical consideration was mentioned regarding the participants in the study?
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What factor did the researchers control to ensure it did not affect recall performance?
What factor did the researchers control to ensure it did not affect recall performance?
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What was the primary aim of the research conducted at Washington University Medical Center?
What was the primary aim of the research conducted at Washington University Medical Center?
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Which group was given a daily dosage of 160 mg of cortisol during the experiment?
Which group was given a daily dosage of 160 mg of cortisol during the experiment?
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What was the condition imposed on participants before being included in the study?
What was the condition imposed on participants before being included in the study?
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How many times were participants tested throughout the study?
How many times were participants tested throughout the study?
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What did the results indicate regarding the high cortisol levels and memory performance?
What did the results indicate regarding the high cortisol levels and memory performance?
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Which of the following conditions had participants taking a placebo tablet?
Which of the following conditions had participants taking a placebo tablet?
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What was the significance of testing the participants again six days later?
What was the significance of testing the participants again six days later?
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What criteria were participants matched for in the study?
What criteria were participants matched for in the study?
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Study Notes
Research Objective
- Investigate the impact of high cortisol levels on verbal declarative memory.
Participants
- Sample included employees and students from Washington University Medical Center.
- Excluded individuals: pregnant women, those with mental illness history, head trauma, or corticosteroid treatment.
Experimental Design
- Double-blind laboratory experiment.
- Participants matched for age and gender across three conditions.
Conditions
- Condition 1 – High Cortisol: Participants received 160 mg of cortisol daily, simulating blood levels during major stress events.
- Condition 2 – Low Cortisol: Participants received 40 mg of cortisol daily, similar to levels in individuals undergoing minor surgical procedures.
- Condition 3 – Placebo: Participants received placebo tablets with no active ingredient, serving as a control group.
Memory Task
- Participants listened to and recalled a different prose paragraph each day, tested three times.
- Baseline test conducted before cortisol administration to control for individual differences.
Testing Schedule
- Tests conducted on baseline, one day post-treatment, four days post-treatment, and again six days later to assess long-term effects.
Findings
- No significant differences in baseline performance between groups.
- High cortisol levels impaired memory; participants with the highest cortisol showed poorest recall.
- Memory performance returned to normal after cessation of cortisol intake, indicating non-permanence of the effect.
- No statistical differences between low-dose and placebo groups; both showed increased performance likely due to practice effects.
Evaluation
- Experimental nature established a cause-and-effect relationship between cortisol levels (independent variable) and memory performance (dependent variable).
- Baseline testing mitigated confounding variables related to individual differences.
- Limited control over extraneous variables due to multi-day design; participants might experience personal stressors.
- Counterbalancing used to ensure text difficulty did not interfere with recall results.
- Concerns over authenticity of memorizing prose for memory assessment and limited generalizability to real-world stressful situations.
- Ethical considerations included potential negative effects of cortisol, mitigated by informed consent and non-permanency of damage.
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Description
This quiz explores the research investigating the impact of cortisol, a stress hormone, on verbal declarative memory. Participants included employees and students at Washington University Medical Center, with specific exclusion criteria for mental and physical health. Test your understanding of the study's design and findings.
