Closing Your Eyes Boosts Memory

Submitted By Andrewlambert
Words: 443
Pages: 2

Closing your eyes boosts memory

The study was done in the U.K. and consisted of 178 volunteers that were recruited by the University of Surrey. They were asked to participate in 2 studies. In the first experiment the volunteers were shown a film depicting an electrician who would enter properties while carrying out his job and seal items from the home. Then they were asked a series of questions about the film such as “what was written on the front of the van”. They had four conditions that were randomly assigned, either eyes closed or open, and having built up a rapport (Relationship, especially one of mutual trust or emotional affinity) with the interviewer or not. The participants who chose to close their eyes answered 23% more of the answerers correctly than the people who had their eyes open during the questions. Also whether or not the rapport was built had no effect regardless. The second experiment was a little harder and asked witnesses about things they had heard and seen during a clip of a TV show “Crimewatch” showing a burglary where an elderly man was being attacked in his home. The results where the same and showed that participants recalled both audio and visual details more accurately when they had closed their eyes. The rapport had no effect other than participants felt more comfortable with the researchers if they had built a rapport. What I am being asked to believe is that if I close my eyes I will have a stronger recollection of something I am trying to remember. The study was done with 178 people so the sample was pretty large and it makes the study more credible since the participants were randomly