Abstract
Unsuccessful retrieval attempts potentiate subsequent restudy — tests enhance learning not only through direct retrieval benefits but by making subsequent encoding more effective (Arnold & McDermott, 2013).
Arnold, K. M., & McDermott, K. B. (2013). Test-potentiated learning: Distinguishing between direct and indirect effects of tests. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 39(3), 940–945. DOI
Key findings
- Test-potentiated learning: — Retrieval practice enhances the effectiveness of subsequent restudy opportunities — distinct from the direct testing effect.
- Conditional probability disambiguation: — Arnold & McDermott separate indirect (potentiation) from direct (retrieval) test benefits using conditional probability analysis.
Application
When a student fails to recall a foreign-language pair on test 1, then restudies — learning rate on restudy is steeper than for a pair never tested, demonstrating potentiation independent of successful retrieval — open this cite for the study behind the move.