The Effect of Color on Short-Term Memory Recall

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of color on short-term memory retention through a simple flashcard-based assessment. The experiment conducted in Conestoga High School’s Unity Day, randomly assigned participants to two treatments: colored or non-colored flashcards. Participants were instructed to recall the ten words presented to them twice within a 30-second interval. A one-sided two-sample t-test and two one-way ANOVA tests were conducted to determine if there was a difference in the memory retention for the colored flashed card and non-colored flashcard groups and if there was a difference in the memory retention amongst 9^th, 10^th and 11^th graders for the colored flashcard and non-colored flashcard groups respectively. The results were statistically insignificant but limited by convenience sampling and premature stops in the experiment. Future points of interest include larger sample sizes, teacher-student differences and the association of academic intellect with memory retention.