
Colored Words and Memory Recall
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You have probably noticed that ads almost always use color instead of plain black text. This experiment tests whether colored words are easier to remember than black-and-white ones. You create a list of twenty words. Half are printed in bright colors such as pink and blue. Participants study the list for two minutes. One hour later, they try to pick the original words from a longer list. Both boys and girls remembered more colored words than plain ones.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that the colored words will be remembered better than those in black and white.
Method & Materials
You will gather a group of kids, give them a list of words to look at for two minutes, then have them come back an hour later to see if they can remember the words.
You will need a group of kids, a list of words, pencils, desks, and answer sheets.
Results
The results of the experiment showed that both boys and girls remembered colored words better than black and white words. The boys remembered more words than the girls, regardless of color.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it tests the effect of color on memory retention.
Also Consider
Variations to consider include testing different colors, tones, and pictures. Also, testing different time intervals between list viewing.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related video
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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