Abstract
This paper provides a historical review and empirical investigation of the availability and the effectiveness of different types of mediator in associative learning, as inferred from subjects’ retrospective reports. Mental imagery is a preferred mediational strategy in the learning of pairs of common concrete nouns, and its use is associated with a high level of recall performance. Its availability and its effectiveness are both enhanced if subjects are given interactive imagery instructions. It is argued that retrospective mediator reports provide valid accounts of the cognitive processes that occur at the time of learning and that play a causal role in determining the subsequent level of retention.
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A preliminary account of the findings contained in this paper was presented at the 2nd International Conference on Memory, which was held at Abano Terme, Italy, July 14–19, 1996. This paper was written while the author was a Visiting Research Professor in the Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University. He is grateful to John Gardiner, Alison Green, Lowell Groninger, Michael Gruneberg, Marc Marschark, and Siné McDougall for their comments and suggestions.
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Richardson, J.T.E. The availability and effectiveness of reported mediators in associative learning: A historical review and an experimental investigation. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 5, 597–614 (1998). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03208837
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03208837