Cargando…

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...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Maraver, María J., Lapa, Ana, Garcia-Marques, Leonel, Carneiro, Paula, Raposo, Ana
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2022
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
_version_ 1784761440865878016
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
work_keys_str_mv AT maravermariaj canwelearnfromerrorsretrievalfacilitatesthecorrectionoffalsememoriesforpragmaticinferences
AT lapaana canwelearnfromerrorsretrievalfacilitatesthecorrectionoffalsememoriesforpragmaticinferences
AT garciamarquesleonel canwelearnfromerrorsretrievalfacilitatesthecorrectionoffalsememoriesforpragmaticinferences
AT carneiropaula canwelearnfromerrorsretrievalfacilitatesthecorrectionoffalsememoriesforpragmaticinferences
AT raposoana canwelearnfromerrorsretrievalfacilitatesthecorrectionoffalsememoriesforpragmaticinferences