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Primacy Effect

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Primacy Effect of Intelligence and Ability
Paola Barrios Florida International University

Abstract
A study was performed using 3 different surveys reflecting one of three patterns. The first was “Improves”, the second was “Worsens”, and the third was “Random”. Using these 3 surveys, 123 participants were observed while they made changes to the responses on their paper. The participants were asked to mark the right answer on the first page as the researcher spoke the letters to each question. After the first study was done the participants were asked to turn over to the second page and answer the survey questions without looking back at their first page. This study demonstrated there is no significance in the primacy effect in intelligence and ability. (Feldman &Bernstein, 1977) states there was a primacy effect with subjects that performed better initially by remembering they had done better than those subjects who began poorly and then improved.

Primacy Effect of Intelligence and Ability Primacy Effect has become a popular study in our nation and has been conducted and investigated by many experimenters and researchers worldwide. (Jones &Goethals, 1972) have received the greatest support for explanation of the primacy effect in ability attribution. (Allen & Feldman, 1974; Jones, Rock, Shaver, Goethals, & Ward, 1968) have demonstrated that early success or failure in an actor has a large influence on ability, even if the actor has shown improvement at the end. Jones et al. (1968) gave fake feedback to subjects on 30 item tests that were in ascending, descending or random difficult order. They predicted there would be primacy effect in ability where there was no prior performance, but that primacy effect would be present in a prior performance. McAndrew (1985) refers to the primacy effect as something that has the tendency for the judgment of an observer to be more influenced at the beginning rather than at the end. In the studies of Larkin, D’Eredita, Dempsey, McClure, & Pepe (1983) they found that people have higher achievement in the beginning of early stages than those in the latter stages. They found that early achievers do well than late achievers. Bem’s (1972) theory on self perception suggests that attitudes are least determined through observation of their behavior, but that the notion may be argued if observed by their own performance on their ability if the task is affected by their behavior. Based on these investigators and researchers we can state that primacy effect does in fact have some influence in the performance for intelligence and ability. Feldman (1978) says that it can be possible that assimilation process that lead to primacy effects when an observer makes and ability attribution can result in primacy effects in self-attribution of ability. Jones et al. (1968) investigated 6 separate studies for intelligence-test-type items and found that the person with descending success was seen as more intelligent in score than the person with the ascending pattern. In these cases each subject received a test similar to our experiment consisting of 30 questions and 15 wrong. Jones et al. (1968) have found that some subjects have disregarded information at the end when judging others in their ability as long as the ability does not improve with a question in a practice stage. The idea to this study is to demonstrate primacy effect in intelligence and ability to be a strong factor. The accuracy of a test in the beginning suggests results of intelligence and ability are viewed as more effective than the outcome at the end. This study has shown that primacy effect does in fact play a role in our mind. Participants in this study demonstrated that the testers where more capable of improving in the worsens and random condition then the improve conditions.
Method
Participants There were 123 participants in this study: Of these, 49 were male (39.8%) and 74 were female (60.2%). The Participants were family members and acquaintances. The age of the sample ranged from 15 to 89 (M = 28.64, SD = 13.27). This included 17.1% Caucasian (N = 21), 73.2% Hispanic (N = 90), 7%, 7.3% African American (N = 9), .8% Asian (N = 1), and 1.6% who did not specify ethnicity (N = 2).
Materials
Each participant was given a multiple choice answer sheet in a different setting. The sheets were marked, “I” for improves, “W” for worsens, and “R” for random. The first sheet contained 30 multiple questions that were already answered by previous student whom took the actual real test. The participant was to mark the correct answer as the researcher mentioned the correct letter. The answer sheet was followed by a second attached paper containing 5 questions: The first question asked on a scale what best reflected the estimated general intelligence of the student. The responses were, “Not at all intelligent/Somewhat intelligent/ Very intelligent”. The second question asked about the student’s ability: The responses were, “Low ability to do well/Somewhat able to do well/High ability to do well”. The third question asked how many did the student get correct on the test, the responses were “From a scale of 0 and 30”. The fourth questions asked how many do you think the student will get in the following test to come. The response was on a scale from 0 and 30”. The fifth question asked when the student performed best on the 30 questions. The responses were “At the beginning of the exam/at the end of the exam/throughout”
Procedures
Participants were recruited by asking if they would help us do an experiment. Participants were given these surveys individually by the patterns mentioned previously. Participants were asked to answer the survey on the second page without looking back at the answers. As participants began the study they read the instructions on the first page. The participants completed the first part of study, turned to the second page and did their survey. After the participants finished they were explained what the experiment was about. Then participants were rewarded with lunch of their choice.
Results
Intelligence Outcome We ran a One-Way ANOVA with Test Performance as our independent variable and intelligence as our dependent variable. The ANOVA was not significant, F(2, 120) = 1.734, p> .05. Using condition as our independent variable (Improve vs. Worsens vs. Random) and intelligence as our dependent variable, we found no statistical difference. Participants thought the examinee was seen as more intelligent in worsens condition (M = 5.49, SD = 1.33) than examinees in the random (M = 4.92, SD = 1.62) or improves (M = 4.98, SD = 1.57) conditions. Those in the random condition also thought the examinee was more intelligent than those in the improves condition.
Ability Outcome
We ran a One-Way ANOVA with Test Performance as our independent variable and ability as our dependent variable. The ANOVA was not significant, F(2, 120) =1.274, p> .05. Using condition as our independent variable (Improve vs. Worsens vs. Random) and ability as our dependent variable, we found no statistical difference. Participants thought the examinee was seen having more ability in worsens condition (M = 5.73, SD = 1.45) than examinees in the random (M = 5.40, SD = 1.79) or improves (M = 5.20, SD = 1.80) conditions. Those in the random condition also thought the examinee had more ability than those in the improves condition.
Discussion
The first hypothesis can be supported by the results found in primacy effect in intelligence. Jones et al. (1968) investigated 6 separate studies for intelligence-test-type items and found that the person with descending success was seen as more intelligent in score than the person with the ascending pattern. The data we ran in SPSS shows that intelligence does better as it worsens in the condition state. The results demonstrate that even if you fail to achieve knowledge at the end, remembering everything at the beginning can still show great performance for success. Feldman (1978) says that performance in early stages can be the influence of future success and prior performance. The second hypothesis is also supported by the results found in the primacy effect in ability. The worsens condition stage gets better. (Allen & Feldman, 1974) say in their literature review that it is established now that there is consistent and reliable primacy effect in attribution of ability regarding other performance. The participants who answer the questions regarding the study placed an emphasis on their own ability as well. The participants were nervous and felt they were being tested. This notion could have triggered the answers to be answered with great expectation in their own perception. Further investigation can be done in this matter regarding the participants. They can be asked questions regarding their state of mind, mood and what they really thought of this experiment to determine the actual outcome of this study. The instructor might want to point out that in a study like this, we would have to ask consent to the individual verbally and have the participant sign on the actual survey as proof of disclosure. We should gather each participant and explain the study prior to the experiment so the participants can feel at ease and not fearful of failing themselves.

References
Allen, V.L., & Feldman, R.S. (1974). Tutor attributions and attitude as a function of tutee performance. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 4, 311-320.
Bem, D.J. (1972). Self-perception theory. Advances in Experimental SocialPsychology 5. New York; Academic Press
Feldman, R.S., Bernstein, A.G. (Dec 1978). Primacy effects in self attribution of ability. Journal of Personality 46.4, 732-742. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.1978.tb00194.x
Jones, E.E., Rock, L., Shaver, K.G., Goethals, G.R., & Ward, L.M (1968). Pattern of performance and ability attribution: An unexpected primacy effect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 10, 317-340. doi:10.1037/h0026818
Jones, R.G., Welsh, J.B. (1971). Ability attribution and impression formation in a strategic game: A limiting case of the primacy effect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 20.2, 166-175. doi:10.1037/h0031682 McAndrew, F.T. (1985). A classroom demonstration of the primacy effect in the attribution ability. Teaching of Psychology 12.4, 209-211.

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