Background
Caffeine may be regarded as a commonly consumed natural stimulant or nootropic drug, peculiar for its ability to impact different aspects of people’s cognitive function. At the same time, its ability to influence memory is controversial, as there is no unified approach to this subject. Nevertheless, the importance of the evaluation of the ability of caffeine to affect people’s memory retention is determined by the volume of its consumption (Walter, 2022). As millions of people across the globe drink beverages with caffeine daily, the safety and effects of this substance should be investigated.
Multiple evidence-based studies support the positive impact of caffeine on people’s memory. Thus, according to Fiani et al. (2021), it helps lower anxiety levels, increase the speed of new information coding, and improve both short—and long-term memory. Zhang and Madan (2021) support the impact of caffeine on reaction and response; however, the authors did not detect a distinct effect of caffeine on long-term memory. Chappelear and Drury (2020) also report a lack of correlation between caffeine and memory. Nevertheless, the large number of articles with controversial results indicates the necessity of additional research.
The current study aims to evaluate how caffeine consumption affects memory retention. It will use an experimental approach that presupposes comparing the results provided by two groups. One group will receive a beverage with caffeine, while another group will have a placebo drink without caffeine to evaluate the impact of the stimulant on participants’ completion of a memory task.
Literature Review
Multiple studies have shown that consuming beverages with caffeine enhances cognitive functions and memory capabilities. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies prepared by Fiani et al. (2021) shows that caffeine positively affects processing speed, attention, and memory. In another study, participants who were only somewhat sleep-deprived showed better recognition recall after consuming caffeine (Cornelis, 2019).
At the same time, the investigation of this topic is associated with the presence of multiple studies with controversial findings. For instance, Zhang and Madan (2021) suggest that although there are differences in people’s reaction speed under the influence of caffeine, there is no strong correlation between this substance and memory retention. Other experiments do not support the ability of caffeine to affect memory, especially in seniors (Cornelis, 2019). Therefore, due to the presence of highly conflicting findings, additional studies are required to clarify the results and avoid excessive caffeine consumption determined by unreliable or incorrect information.
Hypothesis/Research Question
- Research Question: Does caffeine consumption affect memory retention?
- Hypothesis: The consumption of caffeine before the completion of a memory task improves memory retention in comparison with a placebo-related condition that implies the absence of caffeine.
Proposed Method
This study uses the experimental approach in controlled laboratory settings to evaluate potential relationships between caffeine and memory retention. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will be conducted to compare the results of two groups and assess the impact of caffeine consumption on people’s memory recall.
Participants
Eighty healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 40 will be sought out from the neighborhood through adverts on social media and campus bulletin boards. To verify that they fit the inclusion requirements, participants will be asked to complete a screening questionnaire and compensated for their time.
Procedure
Random selection will place participants in either the experimental or placebo groups. The placebo group will be given a beverage with a comparable taste and appearance but no caffeine, while the experimental group will be given a beverage with 200 mg of caffeine. The experimental drink or a placebo drink will be distributed to participants, and they will be advised not to drink any other caffeinated beverages on the study day.
Participants will finish a memory task to gauge memory retention after drinking the beverage. A regular list of 20 words will be displayed one at a time on a computer screen as part of the memory exercise. After being given two minutes to memorize as many words as they can, participants will then have five minutes to rest before being asked to recall as many words as they can. The dependent variable will be the number of words remembered.
Material
To prevent participants from determining the drink’s contents, the beverages will be served in identical opaque cups with lids. The memory test will be displayed on a computer screen using standardized software.
Variables
The independent variable of this research is caffeine consumption within the experimental framework of offering a beverage with caffeine. This experiment has two levels, including experimental and control, due to the presence of the experimental group, in which participants consume caffeine, and the placebo group, in which participants receive a beverage without caffeine. The placebo group will serve as the control group and be regarded as a basis for comparing the results provided by the experimental group. The construct validity of this variable is determined by its accessibility and the opportunity to evaluate its impact on participants’ memory recall.
The independent variable is the participants’ performance on a standardized memory task preceded by the administration of either a caffeine-containing beverage or a placebo drink within the framework of the quantity of remembered words. To find out how much caffeine affects memory recall, a comparison performance will be performed under the caffeine- and placebo-administered situations, as reflected in Figure 1.
The test will include 20 words that should be remembered and recalled after several minutes. It is expected to evaluate participants’ efficiency in remembering—people in the experimental group are expected to remember more words than people in the control group. At the same time, the reliability and validity of results may be limited by the absence of additional tests and the ignorance of participants’ memory abilities.
Limitations
One significant limitation of this experiment is the application of a single memory task, regardless of its standardization and common applicability. This task does not reflect the complexity of daily human activities that require memory retention, and it does not consider participants’ memory capabilities. In other words, people may be good at remembering words regardless of caffeine consumption. In addition, a single dose of this stimulant may have an insignificant impact on participants’ results.
Data Analysis
Data analysis will be conducted using a t-test to compare the groups’ results within the framework of the number of recalled words. In addition, regression analysis will be applied to investigate the presence of potential moderators of caffeine’s impact, including caffeine tolerance and participants’ age, on memory retention. SPSS software will be used for all statistical analyses of this research.
Expected Outcomes
Comparing the caffeine group to the placebo group, it is expected to find that caffeine consumption enhances memory retention. In this case, there may be several consequences for the ongoing study and valuable applications. First, it might offer more solid proof of caffeine’s advantages for memory retention and other cognitive functions. Therefore, further research may address the impact of caffeine on long-lasting memory.
Second, the current study has practical applications, as it contains information that may benefit students and employees who require high cognitive functionality. Finally, the study’s findings may impact public health policies and lead to the creation of official recommendations related to caffeine consumption.
Conclusion
In summary, the proposal seeks to look at how caffeine affects memory recall. Despite the inconsistent quality of the literature on this subject, the study will add to the body of knowledge in several ways. The research aims to clarify the connection between caffeine consumption and memory retention and offer more convincing proof of the cognitive advantages of caffeine use. The results could significantly impact current and future studies, real-world applications, and public health regulations about caffeine use. Overall, this proposal will advance the profession and offer insightful information about how caffeine affects memory retention.
References
Chappelear, E., & Drury, C. (2020). The impact of caffeine on memory. The Journal of Science and Medicine, 3(2), 1–6. Web.
Cornelis, M. C. (2019). The impact of caffeine and coffee on human health. National Institutes of Health, 11(2), 1-4. Web.
Fiani, B., Zhu, L., Musch, B. L., Briceno, S., Andel, R., Sadeq, N., & Ansari, A. Z. (2021). The neurophysiology of caffeine as a central nervous system stimulant and the resultant effects on cognitive function. Cureus, 13(5), e15032. Web.
Walter, K. (2022). Caffeine and health. JAMA, 327(7). Web.
Zhang, R. C., & Madan, C. R. (2021). How does caffeine influence memory? Drug, Experimental, and Demographic Factors, 131(4), 525–538. Web.