Abstract
Recent interest in the benefits of retrieval practice on long-term retention-the testing effect-has spawned a considerable amount of research toward understanding the underlying nature of this ubiquitous memory phenomenon. Taking a test may benefit retention through both direct means (engaging appropriate retrieval processes) and indirect means (fostering directed study). Here the authors report 4 experiments demonstrating a novel benefit of testing. Extended study sessions cause a buildup of proactive interference, but interpolating tests during the study sequence insulates against this negative influence. These findings highlight a unique benefit of testing and have important implications for study strategies.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1392-1399 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning Memory and Cognition |
Volume | 34 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2008 |
Keywords
- cue overload
- list discrimination
- proactive interference
- source monitoring
- testing effect