Effect of Mnemonic Encoding Techniques on Immediate and Delayed Serial Learning

Abstract

60 undergraduates participated in a serial learning task comparing three instructional strategies: the story and pegword mnemonic techniques (which both stress order relationships between test items) and an uninstructed control group using subject-determined, idiosyncratic study and rehearsal methods. All subjects learned four 10-item lists followed by an immediate recall after each list presentation and a delayed recall after completion of all four lists. Results showed no significant differences between the three strategies on immediate recall. However, by the delayed retention test, recall by the story-technique group had decreased 12%, recall by the control group had decreased 28%, but recall by the pegword group had decreased 52%. Differences in retention were related to the underlying organizational structures of the mnemonic techniques. Thus, this study showed the story technique to be the most effective mnemonic strategy when retention of ordered items is desired.