When and Why a Failed Test Potentiates the Effectiveness of Subsequent Study

Autor/inn/en	Hays, Matthew Jensen; Kornell, Nate; Bjork, Robert A.
Titel	When and Why a Failed Test Potentiates the Effectiveness of Subsequent Study
Quelle	In: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 39 (2013) 1, S.290-296 (7 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0278-7393
DOI	10.1037/a0028468
Schlagwörter	Testing; Role; Failure; Semantics; Feedback (Response); Time; Learning Processes; Learning Strategies; Memory; Stimuli; College Students; Recall (Psychology); California + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Testdurchführung; Testen; Rollen; Semantik; Zeit; Learning process; Lernprozess; Learning methode; Learning techniques; Lernmethode; Lernstrategie; Gedächtnis; Anreizsystem; Collegestudent; Abberufung; Kalifornien
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. (Contains 3 figures.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10