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Assimilating new knowledge from prior knowledge using retrieval practice

Date

February, 2020

Data Collection

Data was collected from participants on Amazon Mechanical Turk.

Role

Project Manager, Experiment Designer, Data Collector, Analyst.

Code Type

Custom MATLAB code was used to conduct all analyses and generate figures.

Semantic memory encompasses an individual's factual knowledge about the world, with new information believed to be integrated into existing memory frameworks. Retrieval practice, a widely studied technique, involves testing to enhance learning. However, its specific effects on assimilating related new semantic information are not well understood. This study investigated whether retrieval practice improves memory for trivia-style fact sentences and aids in learning additional facts from the same category. The results indicated that retrieval practice enhances memory for trivia-style fact sentences more effectively than restudying, even after a month. Furthermore, stronger retrieval practice effects corresponded to better new learning effects, surpassing the predictive power of self-rated expertise levels in the subject areas. These findings underscore the impact of retrieval practice on assimilating new related information, with potential implications for educational strategies.

Note: 90 facts in total were randomly displayed (45 facts from two fact categories) for eight seconds each. Following, participants were administered the intervention task in a cued-recall format: 1) fact sentences from one fact category contained one missing word (retrieval practice condition), and 2) fact sentences from the other fact category contained the word identified in quotations (re-study condition). Participants had twelve seconds to type in the correct answer prior to the survey providing feedback for two seconds. The survey then proceeded to the next question. One-week after the intervention task, participants were administered an additional 90 facts from the same two fact categories used one week before (45 facts from two fact categories) displayed at random for eight seconds each. Then, participants filled out a demographic questionnaire followed by a subsequent multiple-choice recognition memory final test for the new facts. All questions on the final test contained a missing word from each sentence, in which participants had eight seconds to select the correct answer from five possible options. Participants then took a similar subsequent multiple-choice recognition memory final test on the facts they learned initially. Additionally, questions based on a third category of facts were administered as a baseline measure.

Schematic of the memory task.

Accuracy of new knowledge based on prior knowledge with retrieval practice

Correlation demonstrating the difference between conditions for new learning relative to the difference between conditions for repeated fact learning

Difference between conditions for new fact learning relative to baseline performance

Baseline performance of knowledge for facts without prior exposure

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