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Related Experiment Videos

Processing instructions and the generation effect: a test of the multifactor transfer-appropriate processing theory

P A de Winstanley1, E L Bjork

  • 1Oberlin College, Department of Psychology, OH 44074-1086, USA.

Memory (Hove, England)
|May 1, 1997
PubMed
Summary

This study investigated how processing instructions affect memory recall. Generating information led to different recall outcomes depending on the task, supporting the transfer-appropriate processing theory.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Memory Research

Background:

  • The generation effect describes enhanced memory recall for self-generated items compared to read items.
  • The multifactor transfer-appropriate processing theory posits that memory performance depends on the match between encoding and retrieval processing conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To further test the multifactor transfer-appropriate processing explanation of generation effects.
  • To examine how processing instructions influence the flexibility of cognitive resource allocation during encoding.
  • To investigate the differential impact of encoding method (reading vs. generating) on free and cued recall under varied processing instructions.

Main Methods:

  • Two experiments were conducted manipulating encoding tasks (reading vs. generating) and processing instructions.

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  • Participants' subsequent free recall and cued recall performance were measured.
  • Analysis focused on the interaction between encoding method, processing instructions, and recall type.

    • Main Results:

    • Identical processing instructions yielded significantly different outcomes for free recall versus cued recall.
    • The observed pattern of results was consistent with the assumptions of limited processing resources and differential flexibility in resource distribution between reading and generating.
    • Generation effects varied depending on the specific processing instructions and the subsequent recall task.

    Conclusions:

    • The findings support the multifactor transfer-appropriate processing theory by demonstrating how encoding-retrieval interactions are modulated by processing instructions.
    • Cognitive resource allocation during information processing is influenced by task demands and encoding strategies.
    • The flexibility in distributing processing resources differs between reading and generating information, impacting memory performance.