In order to develop some intuitions about the relation between structure and memory, we will conduct an informal experiment. Listed below (Figures 1 - 5) are links to various example figures similar to the colored figures that we have used to illustrate ideas about randomness and structure. Each of these figures will be shown for a few seconds. When it is shown you should look at it and try to remember exactly the way the colored cells are arranged in the figure shown. Do each recall task in the order provided. That is, first look at Figure 1, then recall that figure, next look at Figure 2, then recall that figure and so on.

To open a figure simply place the mouse over the name and depress the mouse. The figure will pop up and then close after a few seconds. Then, place the mouse over the words "Memory Task Instructions" and depress the mouse. A window will pop up with instructions on how to record your recall. To close that window simply click anywhere in the window. Open and read the Memory Task Instructions now. Then, close that window and begin the experiment. Refer to the memory instructions each time to insure that you follow the same recall procedure each time.

Follow this procedure for each of the five figures.

Figure 1	Memory Task Instructions
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
All Figures

Scoring your Data

After you have completed your recall of each of the figures, you can now proceed to scoring your recall results. To help with this all of the figures can be viewed by clicking your mouse on the following phase "All Figures" shown in the Table above. Again you can close this window by clicking anywhere in the window.

There are several things that we can look at. The most straightforward is accuracy. Here I would suggest that you determine how many cells were marked

• with the correct color, or
• with the incorrect color, or
• were left blank.

Your tally should sum to 49 if you remembered that these were all 7 x 7 matrices.

But is this measure of accuracy really a straightforward measure of your recall? It may be that you recalled the pattern quite well, but you reversed something, or you were one off, etc. This might have led to a much poorer score than you "deserve." (You can probably recall some test where you did everything correctly in solving a math problem but made an elementary arithmetical error on one point in the solution.)

Another simple thing to do is to count the number of words used in your description of each figure. Is there a relation between this score and your recall result?

Introduction