Research and Experiment Proposal

Questions of interest: Why do people remember the things they remember (and forget the things they forget)?

Hypothesis: People remember the things they remember (and forget the things they forget) due to the intensity of the experience.

Operational definition: intensity = the degree of energy an experience takes from the person and the impact on his/her being - emotional and physical. (It’s easier to see the intensity and the impact of an experience when it leaves a physical scar. In addition to the pain being present, the scar remains. Now, compare this with trying to remember the color of the shirt the deli's clerk wore two weeks ago.)

Archival research, survey research and case studies.

Experimental manipulation: The intensity of the experience.

Experimental group: Group exposed to experiences with diverse degree of intensity.

Control group: Group not exposed to average intense experiences.

Independent variable: The intensity of the experience.

Dependent variable: Remembrance of the experience.

Replication: Should be replicated with different age groups.

Informed consent: Needed.

Placebo: n/a



Ivonne