On the Serial Position Effect (Primacy and Recency) - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

On the Serial Position Effect (Primacy and Recency)

Altan T. Haan

Edward C. Y.

Kok

Moritz L. Wendt

Rahman T. MohamedSlide2

Definition

The Serial position effect is the tendency of a person to recall the first and last items in a series best, and the middle items worst.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_position_effect

"Serial position" by

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(talk) (Uploads). Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Serial_position.png#mediaviewer/File:Serial_position.pngSlide3

Implications

The primacy and recency effects imply that writers can use the readers memory to alter and/or enhance the perception of portions of writing. For example, some writers employ the writing technique of short sentences at the beginning and end of paragraphs. This way, the ideas of the paragraph are more concentrated on and consolidated by the short sentences.Slide4

Applications - Analogies

The effects

of primacy and recency are

also taken advantage of outside of fiction. In advertising many companies would try to schedule their advertisements to either appear at the beginning or end of commercial breaks, as studies have shown that viewers tend to remember the contents of those advertisements more.

Also, primacy often has a major effect on the perceptions one has of another in social contexts. One would try to fill in the gaps, or stereotype, the others based upon their appearance or other factors.Slide5

Examples in Writing

And so I searched the records of the time.

Granted this was after I graduated, and began to work with Professor Calvin Hoffman, the almost-as-great figure at the forefront of the search. But alas, the records were far too vague, and no conclusion could be drawn – a pity.

A large pity

. Even more than large. For the revelation to dawn upon us that our search was futile and that our many years’ work was mostly useless cannot be described with words. It was devastating – many members of the team have retired from the field entirely, refusing to attempt anything,

for

it is all futile; it is but a quest for a nonexistent sword, a battle without a conclusion, a bombing carried out above nothing but the wide ocean

.

There

was no purpose.

-Extract from

The Truth

by Edward

Kok

This is a long sentence

This is an unnoticed short sentence

This is a short sentenceSlide6

Analysis of Writing

While this piece of writing was not specifically intended for the purpose of short sentences, much rather the opposite (the author has stated that his main inspiration for sentence structure was Machiavelli, a political writer known for his long-winded, elaborate sentences), but this paragraph does provide examples of the short sentence principal of primary and

recency

.

One of the most apparent things at first glance are the two short sentences at the beginning and end. There is a large amount of emphasis on these two sentences, and thus the educated writer can use them for linguistic effect, and the educated reader interpret them. One of the most effective ways to increase the emphasis of the short sentence is a long sentence near it – as shown in the extract. Pacing is key in writing, and sentence length variance provides the necessary tempo.

Turn your attention to the short sentence in the middle. If I had not pointed it out, would you have noticed it? Probably not. This is a prime example of incorrect use of a short sentence. It does not matter how well composed the sentence is, it will not be noticed as it is in the middle of the paragraph, surrounded by other words. Remember, primary-

recency

is key to sentence length variance.Slide7

Examples cont.

Mother died today. Or, maybe, yesterday; I can't be sure. The telegram from the Home says: YOUR MOTHER PASSED AWAY. FUNERAL TOMORROW. DEEP SYMPATHY. Which leaves the matter doubtful; it could have been

yesterday. The

Home for Aged Persons is at Marengo, some fifty miles from Algiers. With the two o'clock bus I should get there well before nightfall. Then I can spend the night there, keeping the usual vigil beside the body, and be back here by tomorrow evening. I have fixed up with my employer for two days' leave; obviously, under the circumstances, he couldn't refuse. Still, I had an idea he looked annoyed, and I said, without thinking: “Sorry, sir, but it's not my fault, you know

.- Extract from the stranger by Rahman MohamedSlide8

Analysis cont.

Immediately you take notice of the two opening sentences “Mother

died today. Or, maybe,

yesterday, I don’

t know.” as it has two components that makes it stand out one of which is the shortness and the evidently clearness of it. The other is how the second sentence connects with the first as we are instantly confronted with the death of this man’s mother, but we are shocked and intrigued by his apparent lack of remorse or grief. And how the narrator is so distant and isolated from his mothers death. This distance tone is set in the readers mind within these few words.As well as the first sentence the last sentence equally stands out. As the last sentence

“Sorry, sir, but it's not my fault, you

know.” suggests that again he does not really care about his mothers death and has no sympathy for her death. It even implies that he thinks his mothers death could not be helped and it was inevitable.

The middle section is not as noticed as it just talks about how his mother was in a nursing home and how he has to get there before night fall. This part can be perceived as useless information and not as informative as the first and last sentences. This is a perfect example of primary and recency.Slide9

Conclusion

Based on the examples, we can thus conclude that primacy and recency is a key principle in the use of sentence length variance. Its main application is to apply emphasis or connotation to surrounding sentences or linguistic details. However for achieving the most effective emphasis and connotations you will need to use it in conjunction with other techniques notwithstanding.