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Judgments of learning and the allocation of study time
1Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
Journal of Experimental Psychology. General
|June 1, 1993
Summary
This commentary differentiates two "labor-in-vain" effects, one related to item selection and another to study allocation. The impact of extra study on recall depends on the balance between study benefits and selection deficits.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Metacognition
- Learning Sciences
Background:
- Discusses the "item labor-in-vain effect" proposed by Mazzoni and Cornoldi (1993).
- Compares this to the labor-in-vain effect reported by Nelson and Leonesio (1988).
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate the two "labor-in-vain" effects based on item selection.
- To offer alternative interpretations of Mazzoni and Cornoldi's findings.
- To explore the role of judgments of learning in enhancing study allocation.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis and critique of existing research.
- Comparison of theoretical frameworks for learning and memory.
Main Results:
- Highlights key differences in the role of item selection between the two effects.
- Suggests that judgments of learning can guide effective study allocation.
- Identifies a trade-off between benefits of extra study and deficits from item selection.
Conclusions:
- The effectiveness of extra study for difficult items is contingent on the interplay between study benefits and item selection.
- Recall performance may not always reflect the impact of additional study due to selection biases.