Learning Principles: Negative Suggestion Effects

Learning Principles: Negative Suggestion Effects
The learning principle we will explore discusses the negative effects tests may have. Tests similar to your standard multiple choices or true-false, have indicated that incorrect answers are maintained and thought to be correct by their suggestive incorrect alternatives. This principle is identified as the Negative Suggestion Effect. While some agree with the accusation of this particular principle, others feel the effects are so minuscule and considered unimportant. In one article I found, researchers conducted a study that supported the implication that the negative effects of these kinds of tests are very minor and can be corrected by allowing students to self correct their tests.
This particular experiment tested effects of multiple choice and true-false tests amongst seventh graders studying social studies and ninth graders studying social science. Researchers of this study wanted to not only test the negative suggestions effects, but also the positive suggestions effects. In addition they wanted to answer the question of whether these effects are considered permanent and how they can reverse such effects. Each grade was divided amongst three groups. Two of which were the experimental groups, while one was the control group.
The experiment went as followed. On the first day, all three groups in both seventh and ninth grade took a multiple choice test that consisted of either social science or social studies content depending on which grade they were in. After one day, one experimental group in seventh grade and one experimental group from ninth grade took a true-false test that consisted of the same exact content as the first multiple choice test. Next, two weeks later, the other experimental group took the very same true-false tests. Lastly, all the groups took the same multiple choice test they had taken on the first day. In this study, there were a total of six independent variables and six dependant...