Effects of Caffeine on Memory 1
Effects of Caffeine on Memory
Mubarak Salaam
Department of Psychology, Saint Mary’s University
PSYC 2010- Research Methods in Psychology
Patrick Carolan
Le Khoi Anh Pham
December 6, 2023
Effect of Caffeine on Memory
Effects of Caffeine on Memory 2
From time, excellent performance in exams have been used to judge which student is doing
well. In some cases, a student does not go to the higher class if they do not pass their exams; while in
other cases higher exam scores means a higher GPA which tells the society that the student is intelligent.
Due to these reasons, students have become more desperate in other to achieve academic excellence,
so they are mostly willing to do anything to enhance their memory and focus. This is where caffeine and
other supplements come in, but we are only focusing on caffeine in this research. Caffeine has been a
major part of students’ lives between exams, homework, and socializing (Lapac et al. 2018).
This research is aimed at finding out if caffeine consumption boosts the memory of Saint Mary’s
University students to help them perform well academically or not. The importance of doing this
research is to dig deeper into academic integrity and find out if caffeine gives people an edge over others
who do not take caffeine. A lot of studies have been carried out on caffeine effects on memory and most
of them say the same thing. For instance, caffeine consumption helps in enhancing memory,
concentration, and cognitive performance, and all of these can help students be more successful in
school (Rastani, 2016). Another study came up in 2005 saying that caffeine can increase performance on
a variety of tasks, sharpen short-term memory, and Improve focus (Doherty et al. 2016). Past research
also estimated that 80% of world’s population and 90% of North American population widely use
caffeine (Heckman et al. 2010). An Interesting study wanted to find if caffeine could overcome memory
decrease in older adults in the late afternoon (for review: May et al. 1993).
This study indeed found that if caffeine is taken 30 minutes prior to memory test, memory
decline among older adults in the afternoon was reversed (Ryan et al. 2002). Going with these past
studies, one can conclude that caffeine consumption enhances memory which can help students who
consume it have an edge over students who do not. Caffeine consumption is not applied to students
only, it is applied to normal everyday people too like the construction workers, bankers, Legal assistants,
waiters, and so on. We will only be including students in this research because we want to find out if
Effects of Caffeine on Memory 3
caffeine consumption tampers with academic integrity (Importance of this research). Afterall, there is
sports integrity where players cannot take stimulants to boost their performance and have edge over
other competitors. Going with previous studies, the hypothesis in this research is that caffeine improves
the human memory retention and recall in treatment group than control group.
Methods
Experimental Design:
This experiment design is a between subject design since a group will be getting caffeine drinks
and the other group will be getting decaffeinated drinks, and it will be done for 2 days. The independent
variable is the caffeine which will come from the coffee given to the first group. The coffee will be two
different sizes which are medium and large. Large coffee will have a higher level of caffeine and medium
sized coffee will have a lower level.
The dependent variable is the memory. Memory will be measured based on how many things
participants can remember. That is, the higher the number of things they recall, the higher the memory
performance and if it’s lower, it means lower memory performance. Saint Mary’s University first year
students will take a survey where they will indicate if they have a history of psychiatric disorder or
substance abuse to avoid any kind of interference with cognitive performance. The hours that
participants slept the previous night is collated based on answers given because sleep improves memory
retention and recall by 20 and 40 percent (Bryce A. et al. 2011).
Participants:
A total number of 30 (n=30) first year students in Saint Mary’s University participated. After
filling out a survey, participants with a history of substance abuse or psychiatric disorders were excluded
as it may interfere with normal brain function. Also, the participants are people who were not into
coffee, and they have only taken a few cups all their life because we feel coffee might not have much
Effects of Caffeine on Memory 4
effect on people who take it regularly. The survey had the participants to choose “yes or no” option to
questions like “do you take coffee regularly?”.
The participants signed a consent form which got approved by Saint Mary’s University. We made
sure that all the participants were within the ages of 18 and 25 and they were picked randomly gender
wise which led to 12 males participating and 18 females. The 30 of them were randomly assigned into 2
groups which are treatment and control group. We wrote numbers 1 and 2 in 30 different small papers
and the participants picked one each. Whoever picked 1 belonged to the treatment group and whoever
picked 2 belonged to the control group.
The treatment group was given caffeinated coffee, and the control group was given
decaffeinated coffee. The independent variable in this research is the caffeine and dependent variable is
memory. This study was conducted for 2 days which all participants got to attend. The hours that
participants slept the previous night is collated based on answers given because sleep improves memory
retention and recall by 20 and 40 percent (Bryce A. et al. 2011).
Procedure
Day 1
This study was conducted in a classroom at Saint Mary’s University in the afternoon and a total
number of 30 medium-sized coffee was bought from Starbucks. In the class, there was a desktop running
and containing a 15-slide presentation to be shown to students by the projector. The slides had 15
different flags of world’s countries and their names underneath. The participants were informed on what
the study is for and they all gave consent which was approved by the school. Before starting the slides,
they were asked how long they slept the previous night.
Each participant answered as shown in Table 1 because sleep improves memory retention and
recall (Bryce A. et al. 2011). The presentation took less than 30 minutes, so the participants were asked
Effects of Caffeine on Memory 5
to drink their coffee right before presentation. An assessment on the slide was given after the
presentation and result is in the Table 1 below.
Day 2
This study was conducted in a classroom at Saint Mary’s University in the afternoon and a total
number of 30 large-sized coffee was bought from Starbucks. In the class, there was a desktop running
and containing a 15-slide presentation to be shown to students by the projector. The slides had 15
different flags of world’s countries and their names underneath. The names and flags are different from
the ones used the previous day to avoid carryover effect.
The participants were informed on what the study is for, and they all gave consent which was
approved by the school. Before starting the slides, they were asked how long they slept the previous
night. Each participant answered as shown in Table 2 because sleep improves memory retention and
recall (Bryce A. et al. 2011). The presentation took less than 30 minutes, so the participants were asked
to drink their coffee right before presentation. An assessment on the slide was given after the
presentation and result is in the Table 2 below.
Results
This experiment is done in order to determine if coffee boosts or improves memory recall and
retention. With the tables below, the numbers have proved the previous studies (Rastani et al. 2016)
right that caffeine does enhance the memory. Most people who took coffee scored higher scores in the
assessment while those who took decaffeinated coffee scored significantly lower and the total average
also indicates this. The participants all slept for almost the same hours on average, so we believe that the
number of hours slept did not really affect the result gotten in this study. On the other hand, supporting
the hypothesis, there is an indication that caffeine aids memory recall and retention.
Effects of Caffeine on Memory 6
Based on the data gotten from table 1 and table 2, we calculated the mean of the assessment
scores. The treatment group got higher scores for day 1 (M= 12.2) and day 2 (M=12.6) compared to the
control group which got lower scores for day 1 (M=7.533) and day 2 (M=7.333) respectively. This has
showed that higher caffeine tallies with higher assessment score.
Discussion
The result of this study supports the hypothesis that caffeine consumption positively influences
memory performance among first-year students at Saint Mary's University. The observed increase in
memory scores for participants who consumed caffeinated coffee during the experimental sessions
suggests that caffeine has a potential cognitive-enhancing effect on immediate memory recall and
retention.
The consistent trend across both days of the experiment, where the treatment group
outperformed the control group in memory assessments, aligns with previous studies (Lapac et al. 2018)
suggesting a link between caffeine intake and improved cognitive functions.
The current findings align with a body of existing research that indicates caffeine's positive
impact on various aspects of cognitive performance. Studies have consistently shown that caffeine can
enhance concentration, alertness, and short-term memory (Doherty et al. 2016). The present research
adds to this literature by specifically examining the effects of caffeine on memory among university
students, a population often seeking strategies to optimize academic performance.
The results also resonate with studies exploring caffeine's potential to mitigate age-related
memory decline (May et al. 1993), as evidenced by improved memory scores among older adults in the
afternoon when caffeine was consumed before memory tests.
The practical implications of these findings are significant, particularly in an academic context.
Many students resort to caffeine, often in the form of coffee, to stay alert during lectures, study sessions,
Effects of Caffeine on Memory 7
and exams. Understanding the potential cognitive benefits of caffeine may prompt students to make
informed choices about their consumption habits.
The observed memory enhancement could have implications for exam performance, where
memory recall is a critical component of success. However, it is essential to approach these findings with
a nuanced perspective, considering individual differences in caffeine sensitivity and potential long-term
effects.
While the results indicate a potential cognitive benefit of caffeine, ethical considerations must be
considered. Encouraging responsible and moderate caffeine consumption is crucial, as excessive intake
can lead to adverse effects, including increased anxiety, insomnia, and dependency (General Knowledge).
Moreover, it's essential to acknowledge that caffeine may affect individuals differently, and its
impact can vary based on factors such as genetics, tolerance, and overall health. Promoting balanced
lifestyle choices, including healthy sleep patterns and overall well-being, remains paramount.
Limitations
This study has certain limitations that warrant consideration. The short duration of the
experiment and the focus on immediate memory effects may not capture the full spectrum of caffeine's
impact on cognition.
Additionally, investigating the interaction between caffeine and other lifestyle factors, such as
sleep quality and stress levels, could provide a more comprehensive understanding of cognitive
performance in real-world scenarios.
The participants were also informed of the study purpose which might have influenced
participants to pay extra attention and use their memory and brain above normal use.
Taking coffee regularly in the survey could have been relative as someone who takes it 3 times a
week might feel they do not take coffee regularly.
Future Directions
Effects of Caffeine on Memory 8
The participants were also informed of the study purpose which might have influenced
participants to pay extra attention and use their memory and brain above normal use. In this scenario,
active deception would have been more appropriate. Future research could explore the long-term
effects of chronic caffeine consumption and potential withdrawal effects. The number of participants
should be higher to increase the accuracy. Also, the study should not be limited to students only as it is
not diverse enough.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on caffeine's cognitive
effects, specifically in the context of memory enhancement among university students. While the
findings are promising, they should be interpreted with caution, and further research is needed to
explore the broader implications and potential drawbacks of regular caffeine consumption.
Promoting awareness of responsible caffeine use and emphasizing holistic approaches to
cognitive health will be crucial as students navigate the challenges of academic life.
Effects of Caffeine on Memory 9
References
Doherty, M., Smith, P. (2005) Effects of caffeine ingestion on rating of perceived exertion during and after
exercise: A meta-analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 15: 69–78.
Rastani, M. (2016). 5 Reasons college students should drink coffee. Retrieved from:
[Link]
Lapac, J. N., Cruz, J. P. a. D., Regalado, G. M. D. (2018). Effects of amount of caffeine levels on the test
score of college students. ResearchGate. [Link]
OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Dec 7 version) [Large language model]. [Link]
Heckman M. A., Weil J., de Mejia E. G. (2010). Caffeine (1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine) in foods: A
comprehensive review on consumption, functionality, safety, and regulatory matters. J. Food Sci.
75 R77–R87.
May C. P., Hasher L., Stoltzfus E. R. (1993). Optimal time of day and the magnitude of age differences in
memory. Psychol. Sci. 4 326–330.
Mander, Bryce A., et al. (2011). Wake Deterioration and Sleep Restoration of Human Learning. Current
Biology, vol. 21: 05.
Sherman, S. M., Buckley, T. P., Baena, E., & Ryan, L. (2016). Caffeine enhances memory performance in
young adults during their non-optimal time of day. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 1764.
[Link]
Effects of Caffeine on Memory 10
Day 1
Table 1.
Shows the assessment score between the treatment and the control group for day 1. It also shows the
number of hours the participants slept for the previous night.
Treatment group Control Group
Partici Hours Day 1 Partici Hours Day 1
pants slept before assessment pants slept before assessment
Day 1 score Day 1 score
1 6 12 1 8 9
2 7 13 2 7 7
3 6 10 3 6 6
4 8 11 4 7 8
5 7 14 5 7 7
6 7 12 6 8 8
7 7 9 7 8 9
8 6 11 8 7 10
9 8 13 9 8 5
10 8 15 10 6 3
11 7 12 11 6 9
12 7 14 12 7 7
13 6 12 13 7 8
14 8 15 14 6 7
15 6 10 15 8 10
Mean 7.1333 12.2 7.06 7.5333
Note: assessment score is graded out of 15
Day 2
Table 2.
Effects of Caffeine on Memory 11
Shows the assessment score between the treatment and the control group for day 2. It also shows the
number of hours the participants slept for the previous night.
Treatment group Control group
Partici Hours Day 2 Partici Hours Day 2
pants slept before assessment pants slept before assessment
Day 2 scores day 2 scores
1 6 12 1 8 5
2 7 11 2 7 6
3 8 15 3 8 8
4 7 14 4 8 9
5 7 12 5 6 9
6 7 13 6 7 7
7 8 10 7 5 8
8 8 11 8 7 5
9 6 12 9 8 10
10 7 10 10 6 8
11 7 13 11 5 7
12 6 14 12 8 9
13 5 15 13 8 8
14 8 13 14 9 4
15 8 14 15 7 7
Mean 7 12.6 7.1333 7.333
Note: assessment score is graded out of 15
