Elaborative processing before retrieval practice enhances semantic organization and long-term memory

One longstanding goal in psychology is to identify more effective ways of learning. Recent work has shown that elaborative processing can amplify the memory benefits of retrieval practice, yet the mechanisms underlying this advantage remain unclear. Using electroencephalography (EEG), the present study examined how elaborative processing before retrieval practice influences later memory and encoding-related neural processing and representations, relative to context processing. Behaviorally, memory performance was better for elaborative processing plus retrieval practice than for context processing plus retrieval practice. During the first encoding phase, elaborative processing elicited a more negative N400, whereas context processing elicited a more positive LPC. Moreover, the N400 and LPC differences between elaborative and context processing during encoding were significantly correlated with the corresponding differences in 7-day recognition performance. Representational similarity analyses further showed stronger semantic-category organization and greater representational reorganization across repeated encoding under elaborative processing than under context processing. These findings suggest that elaborative processing before retrieval practice enhances long-term memory and is associated with broader semantic processing and stronger semantic organization during encoding. More broadly, the results suggest that richer connections with pre-existing semantic knowledge may be one way in which encoding variability supports long-term memory.