Playing for Keeps: Long-Term Recall With an Application Using Virtual Reality and the Method of Loci

Strategies that provide spatial context to study material have been successfully utilized combined with virtual 3D technology to improve memory and learning. However, research suggests that memory enhancement effects relying on visualization may be of a short-term nature. The current study aimed to test whether these effects persist after a retention interval of 3 weeks. Additionally, we explored correlations with perceived efficiency, motivation, and gaming experience. German nouns with gender assignment were presented to 48 participants, either without or within a provided spatial context by a virtual reality application. Experimental effects persisted over a three-week retention interval and were unrelated to motivation and gaming experience. These effects were pronounced, with a 50% memory boost in the experimental condition and increased over time, suggesting decreased forgetting rate. Findings provide insights on the potential of learning applications based on spatial memory and individual factors.