Experimental Psychology

APY 312 BS5B

First semester, SY 2016-2017
Date of Experiment

Date of

Submission
June 30,2016

July 12, 2016

Experiment No. 1
Word Association Test

Abstract
This paper presents the use of word association test to investigate what type of
association test (the free association or the partially controlled association test) will
elicit a shorter reaction time, and that which will elicit more response words. .In a
word association test is a word game, consisting of a hundred stimulus words, that
were read out singly, administered to the respondent, who is asked to respond with the
first word that comes into their mind, and this gives information on the way
knowledge structures in the human mind. On the basis of the results, it analyzed in
order to find out what word of assocition test, this experiment is used to know how
fast will you response to a given word and to improve your vocabulary skills.
Keywords: word association, free association, partially controlled association,
stimulus

1
Introduction

The Word Association Test (WAT) was based on earlier theories of the associationism

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
school of psychology, which studied the laws of mental associations. Word
Association Test is a word game, consisting of a hundred stimulus words, that were
read out singly, administered to the respondent, who has to answer each given words
as quickly as possible by means of the first word coming or occurs to his or her mind.
The reaction time, verbal response, and test behavior were recorded and analyzed.
(Papadopoulos,2016)
This research technique has a long history and has been in use for more than a
century. Carl Jung introduced significant change to this method, this method was
tapping both conscious and unconscious sensation. Jung theorized that people connect
ideas, feelings, experiences and information by way of associations. He found that
ideas and experiences are linked or grouped, in the unconscious by producing unusual
responses or in such a manner, as to exert influence over the individuals behavior.
These groupings he called complexes.
In the study it says that people can not create and retrieve repesentations involving
familiar words, without relying on pre-existing associative structures created as a
result of past experience. Thus the word association test can be used in order to reveal
scientific conceptual structures. Science conceptual structures depend both on science
education and culture of the community in which students grow and develop,
including the climate and culture within the schools themselves. (Kostova, &
2
Radoynovska,
2008).

Some study provides a view into students understanding of solution chemistry by

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
presenting a qualitative mapping of students cognitive structures embellished by the
WAT. Students having difficulties in understanding some of the words in chemistry.
Therefore, in order to help students become more knowledgeable and more structured
in understanding the concepts related to chemistry, they used word association test,
and this also used for teachers if they are applicable in teaching strategies because
they should also developed and evaluated in chemistry classroom context, e.g
conceptual change or concept mapping strategies. They can improve their scientific
comprehensions for particular scientific concepts. The teachers should develop a
content knowledge of their pupils cognitive structures before starting a course.
Chemistry teachers apply the WAT in order to determine their students existing
knowledge, misconceptions and cognitive structures and to design their instruction
accordingly. They can use the WAT to self-reflect on their own teaching both before
and after instruction occurs. Nevertheless, this needs to be performed with sufficient
care, so that the students are not confused or misled by inexplicit or faulty
explanations (Derma & Eilks, 2016).
In the other research, there is a kind of sense relation between words in the mind of
every person. These sense relations play a big role in finding the required word. Just
what Jung said ideas, feelings and experience are linked in the unconscious and will
produce an unusual behavior. The research concluded that the lexical storage system
3
is
approximately the same in peoples mind. They indicate that the lexical storage

system is largely based on sense relations. There is also in the research that good

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
readers store more knowledge of vocabulary that will automatically activate your
mind and it will be easy for you to relate or connect some words to other, which will
then aid comprehension. The results that obtained in the research is that the students
gave responses to word association questionnaire using words which reflect their
psychological state and which aligned to their lives (Nekah, S.M.A., Akhlaghi, E., &
Ebrahimi, S., 2013).

Methodology
Objectives
To determine which type of association test (the free association or the
partially controlled association test) will elicit a shorter reaction time, and that which
will elicit more response words.
Apparatus
Watch with second hand (Appendix G)
Set I. Free association test consisting of 60 stimulus words
Set II. Free asscociation test consisting of 15 stimulus words.
4

Set III. Partially controlled continuous association test consisting of 5 stimulus

words

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
Procedure
Divide the class into groups of three students each. Each member of the group
takes turns at being the experimenter, the recorder, and the subject. Administer the
four sets of word association tests to the subject in the following manner:
Set I
Present the stimulus words to each subject and ask them to say the first word
that comes to mind.
R records the subjects reaction time and the response word.
The average reaction time is computed by adding the reaction time to all the
stimulus words and dividing the sum by the number of stimulus words. The yields the
individualss mean reaction time.
Set II
Instruct the subjectto write down words which ther associate with each of the
different stimulus words given for a period of two minutes. After the test, the number
of response words given for stimulus words nos. 11-15 are taken to yield the
individual mean for this set.
5

Set III

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
Instruct the subjects to respond to each of the stimulus words with the first
word that comes to mind. The response word then serves as the next stimulus word
which the subject will respond to with the first word that comes to mind. The subject
continues the routine for two minutes for each of the five original stimulus words. The
total number of response words given by the subject make up the data for the set.
Subject/ Participant
The participant or subject for this experiment are administered to third year
BS Psychology students of section BS5B. The particular participant that conduct this
experiment is composed of three females. In student 1, is a female and 18 years of
age. Student 2 is a female and 18 years of age. And lastly, student 3 is a female also
and 18 years of age.
Results
Table I
Free Association Test With Sixty Stimulus Words

Stimulus Word

Response Word

Reaction Time
(in seconds)

1. Abuse
2. Middle
3. Lucid

Experimental
Psychology
Child
O.96 s
APY 312 BS5B 1.05 s
Center
First semester,
SY 2016-2017
Pop pop
7.65 s

4. Buttocks

Chin

2.13 s

5. Nipple

Boobs

1.66 s

6. Justice

Abuse

1.14 s

L. Intestine

2.32 s

8. Lesson

Science

0.8 s

9. Compact

Measure

1.40 s

10. Obsess

Crush

0.90 s

11. Woman

Me

0.51 s

12. Vocal

Voice

1,05 s

13. Caress

Me

0.51 s

14. Monster

Me

0.75 s

15. Shadow

Regina

1.29 s

16. Deceit

Regina

0.78 s

17. Fortune

Family

1.44 s

18. Honor

Brother

1.12 s

19. Union

Philippines

1.04 s

20. Voodoo

China

0.85 s

21. Corrupt

President

1.69 s

22. Depress

Me

0.72 s

23. Trouble

Friends

1.40 s

24. Mentor

Prof

1.38 s

25. Salute

Parents

1.05 s

26. Mature

Churchmate

8.85 s

27. Ocean

MOA

1.16 s

28. Demon

Evil

1.66 s

29. Legal

Me

1.38 s

30. Temper

Me

0.64 s

31. Master

Brother

0.78 s

7. Organ

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
Individual Mean = 1.85 sec
Group Mean = 1.63 sec

Table II
Free Association With Fifteen Stimulus Words

Original Stimulus Word

Response Words

Number of Response

1. Father

Love, dabest, salute, cream

of the crop, Bernie, life,
inspiration, thankful,
forever, hardworking,
handsome, kind, thoughtful,
generous

14

2. Model

Me, myself, I, family,

churchmate, parents,
siblings, professor,
character, lea salonga, God,
lolo, lola, beautiful, sexy,
hot, respect, salute, adore,
fanastic, imagination,
inspiration, motivation

23

3. Sexual

Abuse, hate, law, illegal,

time, date, parents, Bible,
God, Words, thought,
lessoned, learned, dont sex,
teenagers, people, person,
human, body, private, lust

22

4. Woman

Adore, respect, dignity,

standard, loving, caring,
tender, mother, sister, self,
me, I, beautiful, best, pretty,
clothes, make up, bags,
shoes, dress, swimsuit,

25

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
dyosa, honor, loved, girl
5. Crazy

Me, myself, I, mind, heart,

people, person, you, them,
environment, media,
generation, body, disorder,
happy, sad, lovely hyper,
depress, stress, things,love,
decision, thought, plans,
label, thing to do

27

6. Rmpit

Smell, parts, body,

disgusting, obnoxious, bad,
odor, hair, acne, wet, good,
cute, white, black, brown,
external, shve, important,
sweat, hole, mode

21

7. Brother

Salute, smart, intelligent,

genius, mathematics, prof,
perfectionist, right, mad,
hardworking, inspiration,
motivation, thoughtful,
Godly, full of words, father,
sibling, older, teacher,
handsome, loving, caring,
best,

23

8. Envy

Hate, not contented, deceit,

thief, problem, people,
child, sibling, things, love,
everything, bad, sad, not
good, dont, pray, move on,
worthless, down, pathetic,
disgusting, girls, boys,
obnoxious

24

9. Tabe

Stand, writing, sleeping,

ballpen, school, things, bag,

28

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
notebooks, clothes, dirty,
messy, water, bottle,
helpful, eyedrop, laptop,
wood, brown, blue, white,
hard, strong, heavy, pretty,
design, past, decorations,
black

10

10. Disgust

Obnoxious, disgusting,
yuck, pathetic, hate, gross,
dirty, messy, you, feelings,
emotion, bad, green,
temper, reaction, not good,
sting, smell.

18

11. Happy

Good, helpful, love, family,

travel, country, someone,
friends, house, clothes,
bags, shoes, things, words,
memories, You, me, myself,
sweets, chocolates, pizza,
burger, fries, bacon, tocino,
galaxy, universe, God,
relationships, save, adore,
salute, joy, happiness, care,
tender, hug, girl, boy

39

12. Negro

Black, brown, unfair,

discriminate, pity,
hardworking, smart, genius,
strong, hospitable, loving,
caring, sweets, nation,
people, tribe, old,
generation, hot

19

13. Lady

Woman, girl, eighteen,

legal, sweet, respect, adore,
fantasize, model, teenager,
love, caring, tender,

33

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
fashionista, clothes, dreams,
bags, shoes, love, dignity,
morality, good, pleasant,
simple, hot, sexy, contented,
things, mom, sister, me,
myself, herself
14. Flower

Hydrangea, tulips,
beautiful, calm, relaxed,
good smell, decoration,
design, gift, sweet,
thoughtful, pink, red, white,
green, colorful, blck, blue,
unique, different, vase,
curly, carnation,
crhysanthemum, blooming,
violet, pleasant, feminist,
caring, offer

31

15. Angel

God, child, sweet, love,

caring, savior, direction,
voice, beautiful, handsome,
cute, white, thoughtful,
beside, always, halo,
feather, wings, clothes, fly,
heaven, earth, baby, life,
thankful, butterfly

27

Individual Mean = 29 words

Group Mean = 27.67 words
Table III
Partially Controlled Continuous With Original Five Stimulus Words
11

Original Stimulus
Word

Response Words and Reaction Time (in seconds)

Number of
Responses

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
1. Pearl

12

White (1.10)

Pooh (1.16)

Decent (1.39)

Yellow (1.73)

Mood (1.59)

Sweet (2.01)

Church (1.85)

Mangga (1.88)

Bible (1.59)

Graham (1.66)

God ( 1.36)

Honey (2.63)

Faith (1.56)

Sweet (6.70)

Hope (1.66)

Chocolate (1.59)

Prayer (1.68)

Food (1.30)

Family (1.38)

Pizza (1.59)

Mother (1.80)

Big (1.53)

Father (1.61)

Heart (5.15)

Goodman (3.55)

Love (6.21)

Kuya (4.11)

Cheep (7.41)

Siblings (1.30)

Ocean (0.78)

Ate (1.70)

Blue (1.26)

Clarice (1.96)

Sky (1.35)

Sisters (3.61)

Heaven (2.35)

Marian (2.26)

Angels (8.08)

Vita (1.75)

White (5. 86)

Ruth (1.53)

Feather (2.78)

Me (1.71)

Wings (3.51)

Cute (2.20)

Birds (1.30)

Huggable (2.20)

47

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
2. Fly

3. Egg

13

Aim (0.96)

Looking (5.33)

High (1.16)

Answer ( 2.11)

Dream (1.26)

Question (8.41)

Bird (2.35)

Many (6.73)

Freedom (1.31)

Thoughts (7.37)

Wings (2.80)

Deep (3.66)

Feather (2.28)

Over (1.38)

Butterfly (2.71)

Ocean (2.63)

Beautiful (2.28)

Dark (5.30)

Wonderful (2.10

Light (1.39)

Life (3.23)

Sun (1.78)

Amazing (2.28)

Solar ststem (9.78)

Positive (3.76)

Universe(1.821)

Negative (1.98)

Planets (1.98)

Random (2.10)

Earth (2.05)

Confused (7.88)

People (2.71)

Asking (4.20)

Countries (6.76

Food (0.98)

Ghost (3.20)

Delicious (2,66)

Life (1.73)

Assumptious (2.11)

Friends (2.30)

Dessert (6.46)

Family (1.41)

Graham (1.66)

Relatives (3.33)

Cake (2.6)

Important (5.26)

Chocolates (1.40)

Thing (3.89)

34

33

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
Bread (3.45)

Love (3.08)

Soft (3.80)

God (6.18)

Pillow (3.91)

Faith (5.60)

Bed (1.46)

Prayer (2.16)

Room (1.46)

Hope (1.56)

Cozy (5.36)

Ways (6.61)

Private (5.36)

Direction (7.43)

Room (3.81)

Map (6.88)

House (4.20)

Philippines (2.31)
Cities (6.20)

4. Conflict

14

Fight (1.26)

Organ (2.56)

Pain (1.48)

Body (2.56)

Brake (3.13)

Human (1.41)

Wreck(7.31)

Person (2.50)

Ruined (3.00)

Girl (1.96)

Sad (2.56)

Mother (2.40)

Lovely (1.46)

Pretty (3.21)

Emotion (6.33)

Beautiful (2.93)

Happy (1.83)

Sweet (5.06)

Joy (5.73)

Caring (1.00)

Peace (1.71)

Tender (3.10)

Amaze (5.11)

Hug (8.73)

Shock (6.15)

Passionate (5.01)

Palpitate (6.75)

Hot (9.80)

30

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
5. Breeze
SET

Student 1

Set 1

1.85 secs.

Set 2

29. 3 words

Heartbeat (2.20)

Temperature (8.56)

Freeze (1.33)

Cute (2.16)

Cold (1.08)
Student 2
Sweater(5.86)
1.52 secs
Clothes (7.56)
Dress (1.51)
30.8 words
Shoes (2.34)
Bags (1.58)

Set 3

2.46 secs

Reaction time
Set 3:
Number of
responses

2.91 secs
Classy (5.43)
Simple (3.98)

35.8 words

34 words
Elegant
(2.01)
Royal (2.81)

31

Teddy bear (3.23)

Student 3
Group Mean
Soft (2.61)
1.52 secs.
4.89 3 =
White (2.66)
1.63 secs
Fluuppy (3.80)
23 words
83.1 3 =
Marshmallow (3.09)
27.7 words
Smores (2.96)
3.11 secs

8.48 3 =
Pizza (4.86)
2.83 secs
Big (1.30)

32.4 words Shape102.

23=
(1.95)
34.1 words
Star(3.31)

Crown (3.46)

Diamond (1.61)

Princess(3.30)

Crystal (1.68)

Respect (4.96)

Pearl (13.10)

Adore (5.90)

Shine (3.53)

Babies (4.75)

Bright (1.78)

Small (5.90)
Reaction Time
Individual Mean = 2.46 sec.
Group Mean = 2.83 sec.
15

Number of Response
Individua Mean = 35. 8 words
Group Mean = 34.1 words

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
TABLE IV
Comparative Matrix

Discussion
In this experiment the results shows that student 2 is the fastest to react and at
the same time she is the one who has a lot of responses. We found out that student 2
likes to read books and theres a study that good readers store more vocabulary words
because they expand their ability to know more and one of the technique for you to be
able to develop your vocabulary words is through reading in this you will also helping
yourself in expressing what you want to say. There are some words that students
doesnt understand the meaning of the word and thats one of the reason why they
take a little long time to answer it quickly. In the research they says your response is
depends on your senses. So as what Jung found out that feelings, ideas and
experiences
are linked together in the unconscious by producing unusual responses.
16
Some of words that the students response was because of what they are feeling at that

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
moment and will reminisce of their experiences. Thats why there are words that it
took some time to say because they think of their ideas or experiences.
There are some extraneous variables such as environmental noise and place
because we only conduct the experiment in our classroom, and simultaneously, you
will hear them speaking, so you cant hear what the word is and you wouldnt be able
to think clear for you to answer the questionnaire as much as possible thats why you
will have some answers that are not associated with the word.

Conclusion
In the experiment, the type of association test that elicit a shorter reaction time
is the free association test because in the given result Set I got a while the other type
of association test that elicit more response words is the partially controlled
association test.

17

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017

References

Derman, A., & Eilks, I. (2016), Using a word association test for the assessment of
high school students' cognitive structures on dissolution, Chemistry Education
Research and Practice, doi: 10.1039/C6RP00084C
Kostova,Z., & Radoynovska B.(2008), Word Association Test for Studying
Conceptual Structures of Teachers and Students,Bulgarian Journal of Science and
Education Policy (BJSEP), Volume 2
Nekah, S.M.A., Akhlaghi, E., & Ebrahimi, S. (2013), An assessment of lexical sense
relations based on word association test, European Scientific
Journal,ed. vol.9,
No.11 ISSN: 1857 7881e - ISSN 1857- 7431
Papadopoulos, Renos. "Word Association." International Dictionary of
Psychoanalysis.
2005. Retrieved July 11, 2016 from Encyclopedia.com:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3435301577.html

Mary Bernadette M. Lindo

RP
18

Student

Dr. Normaliza C. Ramirez,

Research Adviser

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017

Appendices
I. Free Association Words (60)

19

Abuse

Deceit

Master

napkin

Middle

fortune

Water

vulgar

Lucid

honor

acne

useful

Buttocks

union

expert

twinkle

Nipple

voodoo

suffer

robust

Justice

corrupt

python

infant

Organ

depress

mobile

libel

Lesson

trouble

weather

martyr

Compact

mentor

problem

tender

Obsess

salute

relax

party

Woman

mature

leader

jealous

Vocal

ocean

father

labor

Caress

demon

invest

money

Monster

legal

poetry

lesbian

Shadow

temper

vivid

witness

Experimental Psychology
APY 312 BS5B
First semester, SY 2016-2017
II. Stimulus Words (15)
father

armpit

happy

model

brother

Negro

sexual

envy

lady

woman

table

flower

crazy

disgust

angel

III. Partially Controlled Association (5)

-Pearl
-Fly
-Egg
-Conflict
-Breeze

20