Do you need to design an experiment for a psychology assignment? Coming up with a good topic and experiment idea is often the most daunting part of the process, but here are a few possibilities to get you started.
Learning and Color Experiment
Image courtesy Jenny Kennedy-Olsen
Could the color of paper used in a test or assignment have an impact on academic performance? You may have heard teachers or students claim that printing text on green paper helps students read better, or that yellow paper helps students perform better on math exams. Put these questions to the test in this psychology experiment on color and learning.
Breakfast and Learning Experiment
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Does eating breakfast really help students do better in school? According to many experts, eating breakfast can have a beneficial influence on school performance. One study found that children who ate a healthy breakfast learned better and had more energy than students who did not eat breakfast. Learn more by conducting your own experiment on how breakfast impacts learning.
Short-Term Memory Experiment
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How much information can be stored in short-term memory? One classic experiment suggests that people can store between five to nine items, but rehearsal strategies such as chunking can significantly increase memorization and recall. Explore this psychology experiment idea in greater depth and learn more about how to conduct your own short-term memory experiment.
Stroop Effect Experiment
Image by Kendra Cherry
The Stroop Effect is a phenomenon in which it is easier to say the color of a word if it matches the semantic meaning of the word. For example, if someone asked you to say the color of the word "Black" that was also printed in blank ink, it would be much easier to say the correct color than if it were printed in green ink. Learn more about this psychology experiment idea and how you can create your own Stroop Effect experiment.
Conformity Experiment
Image from Wikimedia Commons
Imagine that you're in a math class and the instructor asks a basic math question. What is 8 x 4? The teacher begins asking individual students in the room for the answer. You are surprised when the first student answers 27. Then the next student answers 27. And the next! When the teacher finally comes to you, do you trust your own math skills and say 32? Or do you go along with what the rest of the group seems to believe is the correct answer? If you are looking for an idea for psychology experiment you can do for a class, then consider creating your own variation of a conformity experiment.
Personality and Musical Preferences Experiment
Image by Abby M
Could a person's taste in music offer hints about their personality? Previous research has suggested that people who prefer certain styles of music tend to exhibit similar personality traits. Explore this fun topic in greater depth by putting your own unique spin on the personality and music preferences experiment.
Gender and Memory Experiment
Image by Courtney Icenhour
Does gender have an influence on short-term memory? In this interesting experiment, you can focus on a variety of different research questions such as whether boys or girls are better at remembering specific types of information. Check out the different variations and learn more about planning your own gender and memory experiment.
