Doors and People
Encyclopedia
Doors and People is a neuropsychological test
of memory
developed as a memory
battery
(Baddeley, Emslie and Nimmo-Smith, 1994). The test takes about 35–45 minutes to complete and can be administered on individuals aged between 18 to 80 years old. It consists of four main categories; door
s, people
, shape
s and name
s. The doors category tests visual recognition by showing the participant a variety of different coloured doors which they must remember and later recognise from a selection of similar doors. The people category tests verbal
recall where the participant must remember and recall four names of different people both immediately and after a delay. The shapes category tests visual recall by asking the participant to copy four different pattern
s and then recall them from memory. Finally, the name category tests verbal recognition by asking the participant to read a collection of different names and then recognise them amongst a collection of four name items.
Generally, the Doors and People test has been shown as a good standardised test of memory which is both enjoyable and easy to complete. Also, it had good face validity
, and normative
data
is available. However, the test it limited due to the fact it has no parallel form. Furthermore, it is time-consuming, culturally bias
, has low ecological validity
and a complex scoring system.
Neuropsychological test
Neuropsychological tests are specifically designed tasks used to measure a psychological function known to be linked to a particular brain structure or pathway. Tests are used for research into brain function and in a clinical setting for the diagnosis of deficits. They usually involve the...
of memory
Memory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
developed as a memory
Memory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
battery
Battery
Battery may refer to:*Artillery battery, an organized group of artillery pieces; also gun battery with similar groupings on warships*Battery , contact with another in a manner likely to cause bodily harm...
(Baddeley, Emslie and Nimmo-Smith, 1994). The test takes about 35–45 minutes to complete and can be administered on individuals aged between 18 to 80 years old. It consists of four main categories; door
Door
A door is a movable structure used to open and close off an entrance, typically consisting of a panel that swings on hinges or that slides or rotates inside of a space....
s, people
People
People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:* as the plural of person or a group of people People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:*...
, shape
Shape
The shape of an object located in some space is a geometrical description of the part of that space occupied by the object, as determined by its external boundary – abstracting from location and orientation in space, size, and other properties such as colour, content, and material...
s and name
Name
A name is a word or term used for identification. Names can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. A personal name identifies a specific unique and identifiable individual person, and may or may not include a middle name...
s. The doors category tests visual recognition by showing the participant a variety of different coloured doors which they must remember and later recognise from a selection of similar doors. The people category tests verbal
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
recall where the participant must remember and recall four names of different people both immediately and after a delay. The shapes category tests visual recall by asking the participant to copy four different pattern
Pattern
A pattern, from the French patron, is a type of theme of recurring events or objects, sometimes referred to as elements of a set of objects.These elements repeat in a predictable manner...
s and then recall them from memory. Finally, the name category tests verbal recognition by asking the participant to read a collection of different names and then recognise them amongst a collection of four name items.
Generally, the Doors and People test has been shown as a good standardised test of memory which is both enjoyable and easy to complete. Also, it had good face validity
Face validity
Face validity is a property of a test intended to measure something. It is the validity of a test at face value. In other words, a test can be said to have face validity if it "looks like" it is going to measure what it is supposed to measure...
, and normative
Normative
Normative has specialized contextual meanings in several academic disciplines. Generically, it means relating to an ideal standard or model. In practice, it has strong connotations of relating to a typical standard or model ....
data
Data
The term data refers to qualitative or quantitative attributes of a variable or set of variables. Data are typically the results of measurements and can be the basis of graphs, images, or observations of a set of variables. Data are often viewed as the lowest level of abstraction from which...
is available. However, the test it limited due to the fact it has no parallel form. Furthermore, it is time-consuming, culturally bias
Cultural bias
Cultural bias is the phenomenon of interpreting and judging phenomena by standards inherent to one's own culture. The phenomenon is sometimes considered a problem central to social and human sciences, such as economics, psychology, anthropology, and sociology...
, has low ecological validity
Ecological validity
Ecological validity is a form of validity in a research study. For a research study to possess ecological validity, the methods, materials and setting of the study must approximate the real-life situation that is under investigation. Unlike internal and external validity, ecological validity is not...
and a complex scoring system.