1467-9922/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=7881345c93bcf41a309906687f63f5340d37ea24 "Language Learning")
Study 1 was presented at the annual meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association in Atlanta, Georgia during April 1990.
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The Effect of Imagery-Based Mnemonics on the Long-Term Retention of Chinese Characters
Version of Record online: 27 OCT 2006
DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-1770.1992.tb01340.x
© 1992 Language Learning Research Club, University of Michigan
Additional Information
How to Cite
Wang, A. Y. and Thomas, M. H. (1992), The Effect of Imagery-Based Mnemonics on the Long-Term Retention of Chinese Characters. Language Learning, 42: 359–376. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-1770.1992.tb01340.x
This research was partially supported by a research grant awarded to the first author by the Division of Sponsored Research at the University of Central Florida. Matthew Lau and Millie Fernandez assisted in stimuli preparation and data collection. The insightful comments of two anonymous reviewers made this a better paper.
Reprint requests should be addressed to Alvin Y. Wang, Department of Psychology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32816-0390.
Publication History
- Issue online: 27 OCT 2006
- Version of Record online: 27 OCT 2006
- Abstract
- References
- Cited By
Two studies compared the effects of imagery-based instruction and rote learning on the long-term recall of English translations of Chinese ideographs. Both studies used a 2×2 factorial design with Learning Condition (mnemonic vs. rote learning) and Time (immediate vs. delayed recall) as the between-subjects factors. In Study 1 total exposure time to Chinese ideographs and their English equivalents was held constant for both learning conditions. Cued recall was tested immediately and after a two-day delay. In Study 2 total exposure time for the rote learning group was increased so that the immediate recall performance for both learning conditions would be comparable. Also, the delayed retention period was lengthened to one week. Despite variations in procedure, the pattern of results obtained in both studies was the same: in no instance was there any indication that imagery-based mnemonics conferred an advantage beyond the immediate test of recall. In fact, greater forgetting was found under conditions of mnemonic learning compared to rote learning. This finding is discussed within a theoretical framework emphasizing the differential long-term effect of experimenter-imposed versus subject-generated encodings.
