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Can we learn from errors? Retrieval facilitates the correction of false memories for pragmatic inferences
Errorful learning suggests that, when perfect learning has not yet been attained, errors can enhance future learning if followed by corrective feedback. Research on memory updating has shown that after retrieval, memory becomes more malleable and prone to change. Thus, retrieval of a wrong answer mi...
Autores principales: | , , , , |
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Formato: | Online Artículo Texto |
Lenguaje: | English |
Publicado: |
Public Library of Science
2022
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Materias: | |
Acceso en línea: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9345471/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35917361 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272427 |
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author | Maraver, María J. Lapa, Ana Garcia-Marques, Leonel Carneiro, Paula Raposo, Ana |
author_facet | Maraver, María J. Lapa, Ana Garcia-Marques, Leonel Carneiro, Paula Raposo, Ana |
author_sort | Maraver, María J. |
collection | PubMed |
description | Errorful learning suggests that, when perfect learning has not yet been attained, errors can enhance future learning if followed by corrective feedback. Research on memory updating has shown that after retrieval, memory becomes more malleable and prone to change. Thus, retrieval of a wrong answer might provide a good context for the incorporation of feedback. Here, we tested this hypothesis using sentences including pragmatic sentence implications, commonly used for the study of false memories. Across two experiments with young adults, we hypothesized that corrective feedback would be more efficient at reducing false memories if provided immediately after retrieval, when memory is more malleable than after being exposed to the material. Participants’ memory was assessed as a function of the type of learning task (Experiment 1: retrieval vs. restudy; and Experiment 2: active vs. passive recognition); and whether participants received corrective feedback or not. In both experiments, we observed that retrieval not only improved correct recall (replicating the testing effect) but also promoted the correction of false memories. Notably, corrective feedback was more effective when given after errors that were committed during retrieval rather than after restudy (Experiment 1) or after passive recognition (Experiment 2). Our results suggest that the benefits of retrieval go beyond the testing effect since it also facilitates false memories correction. Retrieval seems to enhance memory malleability, thus improving the incorporation of feedback, compared to the mere presentation of the information. Our results support the use of learning strategies that engage in active and explicit retrieval because, even if the retrieved information is wrong—when immediate feedback is provided—memory updating is promoted and errors are more likely to be corrected. |
format | Online Article Text |
id | pubmed-9345471 |
institution | National Center for Biotechnology Information |
language | English |
publishDate | 2022 |
publisher | Public Library of Science |
record_format | MEDLINE/PubMed |
spelling | pubmed-93454712022-08-03 Can we learn from errors? Retrieval facilitates the correction of false memories for pragmatic inferences Maraver, María J. Lapa, Ana Garcia-Marques, Leonel Carneiro, Paula Raposo, Ana PLoS One Research Article Errorful learning suggests that, when perfect learning has not yet been attained, errors can enhance future learning if followed by corrective feedback. Research on memory updating has shown that after retrieval, memory becomes more malleable and prone to change. Thus, retrieval of a wrong answer might provide a good context for the incorporation of feedback. Here, we tested this hypothesis using sentences including pragmatic sentence implications, commonly used for the study of false memories. Across two experiments with young adults, we hypothesized that corrective feedback would be more efficient at reducing false memories if provided immediately after retrieval, when memory is more malleable than after being exposed to the material. Participants’ memory was assessed as a function of the type of learning task (Experiment 1: retrieval vs. restudy; and Experiment 2: active vs. passive recognition); and whether participants received corrective feedback or not. In both experiments, we observed that retrieval not only improved correct recall (replicating the testing effect) but also promoted the correction of false memories. Notably, corrective feedback was more effective when given after errors that were committed during retrieval rather than after restudy (Experiment 1) or after passive recognition (Experiment 2). Our results suggest that the benefits of retrieval go beyond the testing effect since it also facilitates false memories correction. Retrieval seems to enhance memory malleability, thus improving the incorporation of feedback, compared to the mere presentation of the information. Our results support the use of learning strategies that engage in active and explicit retrieval because, even if the retrieved information is wrong—when immediate feedback is provided—memory updating is promoted and errors are more likely to be corrected. Public Library of Science 2022-08-02 /pmc/articles/PMC9345471/ /pubmed/35917361 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272427 Text en © 2022 Maraver et al https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. |
spellingShingle | Research Article Maraver, María J. Lapa, Ana Garcia-Marques, Leonel Carneiro, Paula Raposo, Ana Can we learn from errors? Retrieval facilitates the correction of false memories for pragmatic inferences |
title | Can we learn from errors? Retrieval facilitates the correction of false memories for pragmatic inferences |
title_full | Can we learn from errors? Retrieval facilitates the correction of false memories for pragmatic inferences |
title_fullStr | Can we learn from errors? Retrieval facilitates the correction of false memories for pragmatic inferences |
title_full_unstemmed | Can we learn from errors? Retrieval facilitates the correction of false memories for pragmatic inferences |
title_short | Can we learn from errors? Retrieval facilitates the correction of false memories for pragmatic inferences |
title_sort | can we learn from errors? retrieval facilitates the correction of false memories for pragmatic inferences |
topic | Research Article |
url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9345471/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35917361 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272427 |
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