The effects of mnemonic variability and spacing on memory over multiple timescales.

ABSTRACT: The memory benefit that arises from distributing learning over time rather than in consecutive sessions is one of the most robust effects in cognitive psychology. While prior work has mainly focused on repeated exposures to the same information, in the real world, mnemonic content is dynamic, with some pieces of information staying stable while others vary. Thus, open questions remain about the efficacy of the spacing effect in the face of variability in the mnemonic content. Here, in two experiments, we investigated the contributions of mnemonic variability and the timescale of spacing intervals, ranging from seconds to days, to long-term memory. For item memory, both mnemonic variability and spacing intervals were beneficial for memory; however, mnemonic variability was greater at shorte

SUBMITTER: Cowan ET 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10962934 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature