Essay

Describe the classic study by Strack, Martin, and Schwarz (19881988) demonstrating the item-order effect. In your description, detail the two questions asked, the order conditions, the resulting correlations for each condition, and the psychological mechanism that explains the difference in correlations.

Question: Describe the classic study by Strack, Martin, and Schwarz (19881988) demonstrating the item-order effect. In your description, detail the two questions asked, the order conditions, the resulting correlations for each condition, and the psychological mechanism that explains the difference in correlations.

Sample answer: In their 19881988 study, Strack, Martin, and Schwarz asked college students about their general life satisfaction and their dating frequency. When the life satisfaction question was asked first, the two variables showed a weak negative correlation (.12-.12). However, when the dating frequency question was presented first, the correlation became strongly positive (+.66+.66). Asking about dating first made that specific information highly accessible in memory, causing participants to base their overall life satisfaction ratings heavily on their dating frequency.

Key points:

  • Identify the two variables: general life satisfaction and dating frequency.
  • Recall the correlation when life satisfaction was asked first as weak negative (.12-.12).
  • Recall the correlation when dating frequency was asked first as strongly positive (+.66+.66).
  • Explain that the order condition where dating frequency is first makes that information highly accessible in memory.

Rubric: A complete response must identify the two variables measured (life satisfaction and dating frequency), state the correlations associated with each question order (.12-.12 and +.66+.66), and explain the memory accessibility mechanism.

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Updated 2026-05-27

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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