In a semantic network, activations do not spread in just a single direction. When an individual attempts to remember or recall information, they usually have several routes to access it. Consequently, having more associative links to a specific concept improves the chances of successfully remembering that information.

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Spreading activation is the cognitive process where activating one concept in a semantic network triggers the activation of closely associated concepts. This partial activation makes related information easier to recall. For instance, reading about a 'picnic' primes the concept of 'plate' because they are linked in the semantic network. Similarly, reading about 'flowers' primes the concept of 'petal'. This mechanism explains many priming effects.

Spreading Activation in Semantic Networks

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

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