Abstract
Evidence exists that a brief period of wakeful rest after learning supports memory retention, while interference after learning weakens memory retention. We tested this so-called resting effect for second language learning material. In two counterbalanced within-subject designs, participants were involved in two identical successive learning phases. In each phase, they learned one of two second language stories, immediately followed by a recall phase in the first language. The critical manipulation took place after the immediate recall. Here, participants either rested or worked on a distractor task for 8 min. In Experiment 1, participants worked on a spot-the-difference task (visual distractor condition), and in Experiment 2, they read a New York Times article (verbal distractor condition). After 7 days, all participants were again invited to a second experimental session, where a surprise free recall test took place. Our results showed that second language story retention over a period of 7 days was not supported by a brief period of wakeful rest following learning and recall, independent of the distractor condition. Our findings contribute to an important characterization of the wakeful resting effect in younger adults, which is discussed in the light of existing studies.
Highlights
Studies show that resting can support memory retention (Cowan et al 2004; Della Sala et al 2005; Dewar et al 2012a; for a different view see Varma et al 2017)
The interaction T*PL was non-significant, F(1,27) = .23, p = .638, η2 = .008, BF10 for the T + PL model = 3.856e + 16, BF10 for the T + PL + T*PL model = 1.088e-16. These results indicate that depending on recall performance in Session 1, recall performance after 7 days dropped to a similar extent in the rest and visual distractor condition
Results of Experiment 1 cannot confirm that a short period of post-learning wakeful rest supports the retention of second language stories over a delay of 7 days
Summary
Studies show that resting can support memory retention (Cowan et al 2004; Della Sala et al 2005; Dewar et al 2012a; for a different view see Varma et al 2017). A brief period of rest after learning new information leads to better delayed recall performances than switching to another task, termed resting effect. Explanations for the resting effect can be found in retroactive interference and consolidation theories. Retroactive interference states that memory formation is disturbed by material encoded after learning of a memorandum – leading to a loss of the memory content (Botvinick and Plaut 2006; Brown et al 2007; Farrell and Lewandowsky 2002; Müller and Pilzecker 1900; Oberauer and Kliegl 2006). Longer time lags between learning and distraction result in better recall performances than shorter time lags Longer time lags between learning and distraction result in better recall performances than shorter time lags (e.g. Brown et al 2007; Dewar et al 2009; Ecker et al 2015)
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