An example of elaborative rehearsal involves remembering a new phone number by connecting it to information already in memory. For instance, to remember an area code like 203, one could associate it with the knowledge that a relative lives in Connecticut, which uses that same area code. This link makes the new number more meaningful and easier to retrieve later.

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Elaborative rehearsal is a memory-enhancing technique where new information is processed by considering its meaning and connecting it to pre-existing knowledge. This method involves both linking new data to what is already stored in memory and repeating the information, which facilitates its transfer into long-term storage (Tigner, 1999).

Elaborative Rehearsal

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Example of Elaborative Rehearsal: Remembering a Phone Number

Proposed by Craik and Lockhart in 1972, the levels of processing hypothesis suggests that memory recall is a function of the depth of mental processing. Deeper, more meaningful analysis of information, as seen in elaborative rehearsal, leads to more durable memory traces than shallow, superficial processing.

Levels of Processing Hypothesis

A student is studying for a biology exam and needs to remember the function of the mitochondria. Which of the following strategies best exemplifies a memory technique where new information is made more memorable by linking it to pre-existing knowledge?

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