Research Themes

 

Attentional Boost Effect

 

The attentional boost effect (ABE) is the phenomenon that increased attention to one task facilitates encoding of another task (Swallow & Jiang, 2010). Our lab is interested in further examining factors that affect the ABE.

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The Testing Effect

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The testing effect is the finding that being tested on recently learned material enhances long-term memory more than simply restudying the material. Our lab is interested in both direct and indirect testing effects, and the mechanisms underlying the testing effect.

 

Mediator Effectiveness Hypothesis

 

Pyc and Rawson's (2010) mediator effectiveness hypothesis (MEH) was proposed as a potential mechanism underlying testing effects for paired associates (e.g., wingu-cloud). According to the MEH, testing on paired associates strengthens a mediator (e.g., wingu-wing-cloud) compared to restudying the paired associates. Our lab is interested in assessing the mediator effectiveness hypothesis as a potential mechanism for paired associate testing effects.

 

Test-Potentiated Learning

In a standard testing effect paradigm, participants first study material, then restudy or are tested on the material during a review phase, and then complete a final test. Testing in the review phase (retrieval practice) tends to enhance later retrieval on the final test. However, it is also possible that testing in the review phase could enhance subsequent encoding, if participants are given a chance to study material again after the review phase. Our lab is interested in this idea of test-potentiated learning (Arnold & McDermott, 2013). Specifically, whether test-potentiated learning is item-specific or generalized, and how encoding and retrieval can contribute to this effect.
 

Proactive and Retroactive Interference

Proactive interference occurs when previously learned information impairs new information, and retroactive interference occurs when newly learned information impairs previously learned material. Our lab is interested in examining both types of interference with the testing effect.

 

...and more!

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Past research themes in our lab have included cognitive and perceptual processing in reading, priming, attention, visual attention capture, and other human memory studies. Join us to play a role in future research themes!