- participants in the spaced group performed better on the final than participants in the massed group
- a greater proportion of participants in the spaced group reported using a mediator during the final
- participants in the spaced group that used mediators recalled word pairs at a higher proportion

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

In this study, researchers wanted to investigate the role of mediators in the spacing effect and test the mediator hypothesis. 

Does mediator use contribute to the spacing effect for cued recall? Critical tests of the mediator hypothesis.

Morehead, K., Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Bishop, M., & Pyc, M. A. (2018). Does mediator use contribute to the spacing effect for cued recall? Critical tests of the mediator hypothesis. Memory (Hove), 26(4), 535–546. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2017.1381266


- 69 undergraduate students at Kent State University were split up into two groups: massed and spacing
- participants had to learn 40 word pairs while also reporting what study strategy they used (sentence generation, rote repetition, interactive imagery, other, none)
- during the study trial, participants saw a word pair for six seconds, and then were asked what strategy they used
- during the test trial, participants had to type the corresponding second word of the word pair when shown the first; participants also had to report what strategy they used to recall the word if any
- the final test was conducted in exactly the same way as the test trial

Methods: Experiment 1

- 65 students from Kent State University were split up into two groups: massed and spacing
- the procedure the same as experiment 1 except for the order of the trials for the spaced group

Methods: Experiment 2

Results: Experiment 1

- participants in the spaced group performed better on the final exam
- the difference between the proportion of participants who used mediators between the two groups was greater than it was in experiment 1
- participants in the spaced group who used mediators during the final recalled word pairs at a higher proportion that experiment 1

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