Too much of a good thing: frequent retrieval can impair immediate new learning

• Published in: Memory (Hove) Vol. 28; no. 10; pp. 1181 - 1190
• Main Authors: Karaca, Meltem, Kurpad, Nayantara, Wilford, Miko M., Davis, Sara D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Routledge 25-11-2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: interpolated testing; Learning; Proactive interference; retrieval practice; Task-switching; test-impaired new learning; testing effect; Task-switching; retrieval practice; test-impaired new learning; testing effect; interpolated testing
• ISSN: 0965-8211; 1464-0686
• DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2020.1826526

Interpolated testing can reduce mind-wandering and proactive interference, and improve note-taking. However, recent research using face-name-profession triads, has also shown that interpolated testing can impair new learning (Davis, Chan, & Wilford,
2017
). In the current study, we further examined the impact of switching from testing to new learning, but with objectively-true materials. The study employed a 2 (Interpolated task: Test vs. Restudy) × 3 (Task-switch frequency: 0, 11, 35) between-participants design. In two experiments, participants restudied or retrieved originally-learned flag-country associations and learned new flag-capital (Experiment 1) or flag-export (Experiment 2) associations. Task-switch frequency varied such that participants switched to new learning trial(s) after every restudy/test trial (35-switches), after every three restudy/test trials (11-switches), or did not switch at all (0-switch). The results further demonstrate that retrieving previously-learned material can impair learning of new associations by replicating Davis et al. (
2017
) with objectively-true materials.