Relaxed conditions can provide memory cues in both undergraduates and primary school children

Memory can be impaired by changes between the contexts of learning and retrieval (context-dependent memory, CDM). However, the reminder properties of context have usually been investigated by experimental manipulation of cues in isolation, underestimating CDM that results from interactions between cues.

To test whether CDM can be demonstrated using multiple contextual cues combined to create relaxing versus neutral contexts at separate learning and memory testing stages of the experiments.

Forty university undergraduates (in Experiment 1), and forty 9-10 year-olds (in Experiment 2).

All participants were given age-appropriate tasks under either relaxing or neutral conditions. The next day they were tested for retrieval or practice effects, under the same or different (relaxing versus neutral) conditions.

For both age groups, there was a (mostly asymmetric) CDM effect with performance generally best in the relaxing-relaxing condition. There was also some overall benefit of having learned under relaxed conditions.

A relaxed learning environment can provide effective retrieval cues, as well as improve learning.

For both primary school children and university students, the educational implication of these findings is that learning can be improved in a relaxed state. For this benefit to be fully manifest, the assessment of learning should also take place under relaxed conditions.