Published: October 17, 2010
Although most people assume that tests are a way to evaluate learning, a wealth of research has shown that testing can actually improve learning, according to two researchers from Kent State University. Dr. Katherine Rawson, associate professor in Kent State’s Department of Psychology, and former Kent State graduate student Mary Pyc publish their research findings in the Oct. 15, 2010, issue of the journal Science.
“Taking practice tests – particularly ones that involve attempting to recall something from memory – can drastically increase the likelihood that you’ll be able to remember that information again later,” Rawson said. “Given that hundreds of experiments have been conducted to establish the effects of testing on learning, it’s surprising that we know very little about why testing improves memory.” [continue reading…]
Published: August 10, 2010
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Lead researcher, Dr Helen Paterson from the School of Psychology said sharing memories can contaminate people’s recollections and create false memories.
“A false memory is the recollection of an event, or details of an event, that did not actually occur,” she said.
“My research focuses on how people can contaminate each other’s memories for an event by discussing it with one another.”
Dr Paterson said a key finding of the research was that misleading information presented through discussion with another person who observed the event can also lead to memory distortion. [continue reading…]
Published: April 13, 2010
A new University of Iowa study offers some good news for caregivers and loved ones of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Patients might forget a joke or a meaningful conversation — but even so, the warm feelings associated with the experience can stick around and boost their mood.
For the study, published this week in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers showed individuals with memory loss clips of happy and sad movies. Although the participants couldn’t recall what they had watched, they retained the emotions elicited by the clips. [continue reading…]
Published: March 31, 2010
A self-administered test to screen for early dementia could help speed the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of memory disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. It could also provide health care providers and caregivers an earlier indication of life-changing events that could lie ahead. [continue reading…]
