Which of the following is an example of the primacy effect in cognitive psychology?

• A. Forgetting both the first and last items in a list but remembering the middle items
• B. Confusing similar-sounding words in a list regardless of their position
• C. Remembering the first few words in a long list better than the middle or last words
• D. Recalling the last few items in a list more easily than the first ones

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the primacy effect refers to the tendency to better remember items presented at the beginning of a list.
2. Recognize that this effect occurs because the first items receive more attention and are more likely to be transferred into long-term memory.
3. Compare the options given to identify which one describes better recall of the first items in a list.
4. Note that forgetting both the first and last items or confusing similar-sounding words do not illustrate the primacy effect.
5. Identify that remembering the first few words better than the middle or last words is a clear example of the primacy effect.