Free recall enhances subsequent learning

Abstract

Testing, or retrieval practice, has become a central topic in memory research. One potentially important effect of retrieval practice has received little attention, however: It may enhance, or potentiate, subsequent learning. We introduce a paradigm that can measure the indirect, potentiating effect of free recall tests on subsequent learning, and then test a hypothesis for why tests may have this potentiating effect. In two experiments, the benefit of a restudy trial was enhanced when prior free recall tests had been taken. The results from a third, correlational study suggested that this effect might be mediated by the effect of testing on organization. Not only do encoding conditions affect later retrievability, but also retrieval attempts affect subsequent encoding effectiveness.

Figure 1

Designs of Experiments 1 and 2. Each row represents a between- participants condition. S = study trial. T = test trial. Subscripts indicate the number of pictures studied.

Figure 2

Proportion of items recalled on the final test in Experiment 1. Mean difference between the restudy and no restudy conditions for each test condition are displayed above the respective bars. Error bars represent standard errors of the mean.

Figure 3

Adjusted means indicating the proportion of items recalled on the final test in Experiment 2. Adjusted mean difference between the restudy and no restudy conditions for each test condition are displayed above the respective bars. Error bars represent standard errors of the mean.

Figure 4

Scatterplot of the proportion of words recalled on the final test given that they had not been recalled on any previous test for each participant in Exp. 3 graphed as a function of ARC scores from the test prior to the restudy trial.