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Psychology trivia: famous findings
The placebo effect, the Stroop test, the marshmallow test: which famous findings hold up, and which have been questioned? Ten questions, checked against the original research.
Just for reflection and learning — not a test or a diagnosis.
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Sources
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Placebo Effect.
- Scarpina F, Tagini S. The Stroop Color and Word Test. Frontiers in Psychology, 2017.
- Roediger HL, Karpicke JD. Test-enhanced learning: taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 2006.
- Dunlosky J, et al. Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013.
- Murre JMJ, Dros J. Replication and Analysis of Ebbinghaus' Forgetting Curve. PLoS One, 2015.
- Loftus EF. Planting misinformation in the human mind: a 30-year investigation of the malleability of memory. Learning & Memory, 2005.
- Cowan N. The magical number 4 in short-term memory: a reconsideration of mental storage capacity. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2001.
- Watts TW, Duncan GJ, Quan H. Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication. Psychological Science, 2018.
- Le Texier T. Debunking the Stanford Prison Experiment. American Psychologist, 2019.
- Burger JM. Replicating Milgram: Would people still obey today? American Psychologist, 2009.
Common questions
Is the placebo effect real?
Yes. The placebo effect is a health benefit that comes from expecting a treatment to help. It is why new treatments are tested against placebos.
What is the best way to remember what you learn?
Research rates practice testing, such as quizzing yourself, and spreading practice out over time as the most useful methods. Rereading and highlighting help much less.
Has the marshmallow test been debunked?
It has been questioned. A larger 2018 study found the link between waiting as a child and later achievement was much smaller than first reported once family background was considered.