When and why a failed test potentiates the effectiveness of subsequent study

Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition
Matthew J HaysRobert A Bjork

Abstract

Teachers and trainers often try to prevent learners from making errors, but recent findings (e.g., Kornell, Hays, & Bjork, 2009) have demonstrated that tests can potentiate subsequent learning even when the correct answer is difficult or impossible to generate (e.g., "What is Nate Kornell's middle name?"). In 3 experiments, we explored when and why a failed test enhances learning. We found that failed tests followed by immediate feedback produced greater retention than did a presentation-only condition. Failed tests followed by delayed feedback, by contrast, did not produce such a benefit-except when the direction of the final test was reversed (i.e., the participants were provided with the target and had to produce the original cue). Our findings suggest that generating an incorrect response to a cue both activates the semantic network associated with the cue and suppresses the correct response. These processes appear to have 2 consequences: If feedback is presented immediately, the semantic activation enhances the mapping of the cue to the correct response; if feedback is presented at a delay, the prior suppression boosts the learning of the suppressed response.

Citations

Jan 9, 2013·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Kathleen M Arnold, Kathleen B McDermott
Oct 2, 2012·Annual Review of Psychology·Robert A BjorkNate Kornell
Aug 15, 2014·Memory & Cognition·Veronica X YanRobert A Bjork
Sep 2, 2015·Memory & Cognition·Steven C PanTimothy C Rickard
Aug 11, 2015·The American Journal of Psychology·Robert A Bjork, Judith F Kroll
May 15, 2016·Memory & Cognition·Jeri L Little, Elizabeth Ligon Bjork
Apr 25, 2015·Perspectives on Psychological Science : a Journal of the Association for Psychological Science·Nicholas C Soderstrom, Robert A Bjork
Apr 3, 2019·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Steven C PanTimothy C Rickard
Sep 23, 2020·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Tina SeabrookeTimothy J Hollins
Jun 7, 2017·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Timothy C Rickard, Steven C Pan
Apr 26, 2019·Frontiers in Psychology·Saeko TanakaNobuyoshi Iwaki
Dec 8, 2019·Neuropsychologia·Janet Metcalfe, Barbie J Huelser

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