Retrieval-induced facilitation: Initially nontested material can benefit from prior testing of related material.
Abstract
Classroom exams can assess students' knowledge of only a subset of the material taught in a course. What are the implications of this approach for long-term retention? Three experiments (N = 210) examined how taking an initial test affects later memory for prose materials not initially tested. Experiment 1 shows that testing enhanced recall 24 hr later for the initially nontested material. This facilitation was not seen for participants given additional study opportunities without initial testing. Experiment 2 extends this facilitative effect to a within-subjects design. Experiment 3 demonstrates that this facilitation can be modulated by conscious strategies. These results have implications for educational practice and the theoretical developments of the testing effect, associative memory, and retrieval inhibition.
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Chan et al. (2006) provided follow-up evidence that the initial quizzes led students to retrieve not only the specific answer to the question but also related information, which then received a benefit.
“Chan et al. (2006) provided follow-up evidence that the initial quizzes led students to retrieve not only the specific answer to the question but also related information, which then received a benefit.”
From Practicing Retrieval Facilitates Learning (2021) · cites this paper as Chan et al. 2006
Simply reading the target facts did not produce facilitation (49% recall).
“Simply reading the target facts did not produce facilitation, however (49% recall).”
From Practicing Retrieval Facilitates Learning (2021) · cites this paper as Chan et al. 2006
In Chan et al. (2006), a day later, retrieval for target facts related to the tested facts but not tested themselves was 9% greater than retrieval for nontested facts unrelated to the tested facts (59% vs 50% recall).
“A day later, retrieval for target facts related to the tested facts, but not tested themselves, was 9% greater than retrieval for nontested facts that were unrelated to the tested facts (59% and 50% recall, respectively).”
From Practicing Retrieval Facilitates Learning (2021) · cites this paper as Chan et al. 2006
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- Authors
- Chan, J. C. K., McDermott, K. B., & Roediger, H. L.
- Affiliations
- Washington University in St. Louis (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Experimental Psychology: General
- Published
- 2006-11
- Volume
- 135
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 553-571
- ISSN
- 0096-3445 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-2222
- OpenAlex
- W2148354545
- Cited by
- 364
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 25
- FWCI
- 5.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Experimental Psychology General (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Institute of Education Sciences (R305H030339)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- testing effect, long-term retention, prose recall, associative memory, retrieval inhibition
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Association Learning, Attention, Concept Formation, Female, Humans, Male, Practice, Psychological, Probability, Reaction Time, Mental Recall, Retention, Psychology, Verbal Learning, Comprehension
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