Remediation of memory disorders: experimental evaluation of the spaced-retrieval technique

Research concerning remediation of memory disorders has frequently been concerned with mnemonic techniques that demand a great deal of elaborative and effortful processing. The present study examines a relatively simple technique, known as spaced retrieval, in which patients are taught to retrieve information at increasingly long temporal intervals after initial presentation. Results indicated that the spaced-retrieval technique aided patients' learning of new information. There was also evidence of learning to learn: Two of the four patients who were studied learned to use the technique in the absence of explicit cues from the experimenter. Issues pertaining to the possible usefulness of spaced retrieval in everyday life are discussed.