One for the Ages: The Pretesting Effect Is Robust Throughout Adulthood but Metacognitive Beliefs Differ

• In Event: Cognitive and Metacognitive Processes to Improve Learning

Abstract

The pretesting effect is a robust learning strategy whereby attempting to answer questions about a topic before learning it results in better memory of that topic compared to simply studying the topic without taking a pretest. We investigated whether age and memory contentment, factors underexplored in the literature, moderate the pretesting effect, and whether judgments of pretesting effectiveness varied across ages. We found that the pretesting effect was not moderated by either factor, but participants 18-39 yrs reported pretesting to be better for learning whereas 40-50 year-old participants reported studying to be better for learning. These results suggest that the pretesting effect appears to be robust throughout adulthood, but the metacognitive benefits of its effectiveness differ by age.

Authors

• Stephany Duany Rea, University of Texas at Austin

• Veronica X. Yan, University of Texas at Austin

• Faria Sana, Athabasca University