Behavioral representational similarity analysis reveals how episodic learning is influenced by and reshapes semantic memory.

ABSTRACT: While semantic and episodic memory have been shown to influence each other, uncertainty remains as to how this interplay occurs. We introduce a behavioral representational similarity analysis approach to assess whether semantic space can be subtly re-sculpted by episodic learning. Eighty participants learned word pairs that varied in semantic relatedness, and learning was bolstered via either testing or restudying. Next-day recall is superior for semantically related pairs, but there is a larger benefit of testing for unrelated pairs. Analyses of representational change reveal that successful recall is accompanied by a pulling together of paired associates, with cue words in semantically related (but not unrelated) pairs changing more across learning than target words. Our findings show th

SUBMITTER: Walsh CR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10662157 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature