Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-7-2026
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Matthew Reysen
Second Advisor
Nicolaas Prins
Third Advisor
Molly Pasco-Pranger
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine if utilizing storytelling in lectures caused a positive effect on students' memory over a week-long period. Storytelling has been used as a mnemonic device to improve memory, however its benefits have not been experimented much in higher education. In this study, 53 undergraduate psychology students were placed into two groups: traditional lecture or storytelling lecture. Students then watched the lecture they were assigned, both lectures discussed the ASURE model. A week later, students returned and took a 17 question memory test. Results indicated that students who watched the storytelling lecture performed significantly better on the memory test compared to students in the traditional lecture group. These findings suggest that incorporating storytelling into lectures in higher education has a positive effect on memory.
Recommended Citation
Rutter, Sydney E., "Storytelling as a Pedagogical Tool for Improving Memory in Lectures" (2026). Honors Theses. 3381.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3381
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