Retrieval Practice Promotes Higher–Order Cognition:the Moderating Effect Of Working Memory

The retrieval practical effect is that learners test some materials immediately after learning them,which is more effective for memory retention than relearning the materials in the same time.The effect of the retrieval practice has been verified in numerous materials.In recent years,more and more researchers have begun to explore the boundary factors that influence the effect of retrieval practice.Working memory plays a very important role in individuals 'cognitive activities,and it is an important factor for individuals' performance differences in complex cognitive behaviors.In current learning,the memory of conceptual knowledge and the mastery of higher–order skills are very important.However,due to the differences in individual working memory,after the learning of conceptual knowledge,can people with low working memory be able to use it in higher–level knowledge through retrieval practice? The benefits are inconclusive.Therefore,this study uses working memory as a boundary factor to explore the promotion effect of retrieval practice on advanced knowledge.In study1,after through screening 84 college students participated in a 2(learning conditions: repeated learning group,retrieval practice group)× 2(working memory:higher working memory,lower working memory)between–subjects experiment.The experimental results show that he main effect of learning conditions is significant in the learning of conceptual knowledge,the retrieval prctice conditions are significantly better than the repeated study conditions.This shows that in the learning of conceptual knowledge,working memory does not affect the acquisition of the effect of retrieval practice.However,in the learning of classification knowledge,working memory moderate the performance of participants on classification tasks when using retrieval practice strategies.Specifically,for those with high working memory,their final performs were significantly higher when using the retrieval practice strategy,while for those with low working memory,the difference between the two learning strategies was not significant.According to previous research,participants' working memory will be restored after a period of time,so it will be beneficial to the performance of low working memory users on higher–order tasks.Therefore,the study 2 respectively explores the moderating effect of working memory on the retrieval practice inimmediate test and delayed test.Study 2 explores the effects of working memory on reasoning tasks when using retrieval practice strategies under the conditions of immediate testing and delayed testing.In experiment 2a,After screening a total of 65 college students were selected to participate in a 2(learning conditions: repeated learning group,retrieval practice group)× 2(working memory: high working memory,low working memory)between–subjects experiment,and the final test was performed after the study was completed.The experimental results are consistent with the study 1.Working memory does not affect the participants in the acquisition of retrieval practice effect in the conceptual knowledge,but it plays a moderating role in the retrieval practice to promote the reasoning tasks.In experiment 2b,73 college students were selected to participate in the experiment after screening.A 2(learning conditions: repeated learning group,retrieval practice group)× 2(working memory: high working memory,low working memory)between–subjects experiment was designed,and the final test was performed one week after the end of the study.The results show that the main effect of learning conditions is significant in the learning of conceptual knowledge.In the learning of reasoning knowledge,the main effect of learning conditions is still significant,while the interaction between working memory and learning conditions is not significant.It means that after a week's delay,the participants' performance in memory retention was not affected by working memory,but in the higher–order tasks,those with a low working memory in the one–week delay did not benefit,possibly because the current learning stage test did not involve higher–order knowledge.To sum up,the acquisition of conceptual knowledge retrieval practice effect is not affected by working memory when the retrieval practice strategy is used for learning.But working memory plays a moderating role in the retrieval practice that promotes the learning of higher–order skills.