{"pk":24622,"title":"Remembering better: A bridge between paired-associate learning and higher-order cognition","subtitle":null,"abstract":"Paired-associate learning is a classic paradigm addressing a most fundamental memory task: recalling examples of arbitrary associations between elements. One lesson is that semantics matters to this otherwise episodic task in that elaborative rehearsal connecting the words facilitates cued-recall. We ask whether two forms of semantic elaboration, inspired by higher-order cognition, can produce even better performance. Control groups performed ordinary elaborative study tasks (integrated imagery and compare/contrast) within a traditional paired-associate learning task. Experimental groups either: (1) completed a conceptual combination task requiring them to invent a novel concept aptly captured by the noun-noun pair; or (2) invoked relational cognition skills by predicating a propositional statement wherein the two concepts each fulfilled roles in a semantic relationship. Across three experiments relational predication showed a sizable advantage in cued-recall relative to controls; and additional evidence revealed a less robust benefit of conceptual combination. Implications for theory and application are discussed","language":"eng","license":{"name":"","short_name":"","text":null,"url":""},"keywords":[{"word":"Learning; Memory"}],"section":"Abstracts","is_remote":true,"remote_url":"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1km4m9bn","frozenauthors":[{"first_name":"Keith","middle_name":"L","last_name":"Sherman","name_suffix":"","institution":"Binghamton University","department":""},{"first_name":"Kenneth","middle_name":"","last_name":"Kurtz","name_suffix":"","institution":"Binghamton University","department":""}],"date_submitted":null,"date_accepted":null,"date_published":"2024-01-01T18:00:00Z","render_galley":{"label":"PDF","type":"pdf","path":"https://journalpub.escholarship.org/cognitivesciencesociety/article/24622/galley/21517/download/"},"galleys":[{"label":"PDF","type":"pdf","path":"https://journalpub.escholarship.org/cognitivesciencesociety/article/24622/galley/14219/download/"},{"label":"PDF","type":"pdf","path":"https://journalpub.escholarship.org/cognitivesciencesociety/article/24622/galley/17987/download/"},{"label":"PDF","type":"pdf","path":"https://journalpub.escholarship.org/cognitivesciencesociety/article/24622/galley/21517/download/"}]}