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Grain size of retrieval practice for lengthy text material: Fragile and mysterious effects on memory

Wissman, Kathryn Taylor
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1375813024

Abstract Details

2013, MA, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences.
The current research evaluated the extent to which the grain size of retrieval practice for lengthy text material affects recall during practice and subsequent memory. The grain size hypothesis states that a smaller versus larger grain size will increase retrieval success during practice that in turn will enhance subsequent memory for lengthy text material. Participants were prompted to recall directly after studying each section (section recall) or after all sections had been studied (whole text recall) during practice, and then all participants completed a final test after a delay. Results across six experiments (including 525 participants and 1270 recall protocols) partially disconfirmed the predictions of the grain size hypothesis: although the smaller grain size produced sizeable recall advantages during practice as expected (ds from 1.02 to 1.87 across experiments), the advantage was substantially or completely attenuated across a delay. Experiments 2-5 falsified several plausible methodological and theoretical explanations for the fragility of the effect, indicating that it was not due to particular text materials, retrieval from working memory during practice, the length of the retention interval, a disproportionate increase in recall of unimportant details, nor a deficit in integration of ideas across text sections. In sum, results conclusively establish an initially sizeable but subsequently fragile effect of grain size, for which an explanation remains elusive.
Katherine Rawson, Dr. (Advisor)
Maria Zaragoza, Dr. (Committee Member)
John Dunlosky, Dr, (Committee Member)
John Gunstad, Dr. (Committee Member)
63 p.
Psychology
text memory, retrieval practice, grain size effect

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Wissman, K. T. (2013). Grain size of retrieval practice for lengthy text material: Fragile and mysterious effects on memory [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1375813024

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Wissman, Kathryn. Grain size of retrieval practice for lengthy text material: Fragile and mysterious effects on memory. 2013. Kent State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1375813024.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Wissman, Kathryn. "Grain size of retrieval practice for lengthy text material: Fragile and mysterious effects on memory." Master's thesis, Kent State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1375813024

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1375813024
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© 2013, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.
Release 3.2.12