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Applying an eMASS Customization Program as a Research Tool to Evaluate Consumer Benefits

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Published on: September 27, 2019

The negative testing effect and multifactor account.

Daniel J Peterson¹, Neil W Mulligan

¹Department of Psychology, Knox College, Galesburg, IL 61401, USA. dpeterso@knox.edu

Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition

|February 21, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Taking a test can sometimes hurt memory recall, but modifications can lead to memory improvement. These findings suggest the testing effect and generation effect share a common explanatory framework.

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Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Educational Psychology
Memory Research

Background:

The testing effect, where retrieval practice enhances memory, is a well-established phenomenon.
However, conditions exist where testing can negatively impact subsequent recall.
Understanding these conditions is crucial for optimizing learning strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the factors influencing the testing effect, determining when it yields positive or negative outcomes.
To test the applicability of the multifactor account, originally developed for the generation effect, to the testing effect.
To explore a common theoretical framework for both the testing and generation effects.

Main Methods:

Three experiments were conducted to examine the testing effect.
Experiment 1 involved retrieval practice versus repeated studying, observing a negative testing effect.
Experiments 2 and 3 modified the design to elicit a positive testing effect.

Main Results:

A negative testing effect was observed when initial retrieval practice led to poorer recall compared to repeated studying.
Theoretically motivated modifications in subsequent experiments reversed this, demonstrating a positive testing effect.
Results across all experiments were accurately predicted by the multifactor account.

Conclusions:

The multifactor account successfully explains both positive and negative instances of the testing effect.
The findings suggest a unified theoretical framework for understanding the testing effect and the generation effect.
This research provides insights into optimizing memory and learning through strategic retrieval practice.