The drawing effect: Evidence for reliable and robust memory benefits in free recall

doi:10.1080/17470218.2015.1094494

Paper

The drawing effect: Evidence for reliable and robust memory benefits in free recall

Published Feb 16, 2016 · Jeffrey D. Wammes, Melissa E Meade, Myra A. Fernandes

Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology

Q2 SJR score

140

Citations

6

Influential Citations

Full textSemantic Scholar

Abstract

In 7 free-recall experiments, the benefit of creating drawings of to-be-remembered information relative to writing was examined as a mnemonic strategy. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants were presented with a list of words and were asked to either draw or write out each. Drawn words were better recalled than written. Experiments 3–5 showed that the memory boost provided by drawing could not be explained by elaborative encoding (deep level of processing, LoP), visual imagery, or picture superiority, respectively. In Experiment 6, we explored potential limitations of the drawing effect, by reducing encoding time and increasing list length. Drawing, relative to writing, still benefited memory despite these constraints. In Experiment 7, the drawing effect was significant even when encoding trial types were compared in pure lists between participants, inconsistent with a distinctiveness account. Together these experiments indicate that drawing enhances memory relative to writing, across settings, instructions, and alternate encoding strategies, both within- and between-participants, and that a deep LoP, visual imagery, or picture superiority, alone or collectively, are not sufficient to explain the observed effect. We propose that drawing improves memory by encouraging a seamless integration of semantic, visual, and motor aspects of a memory trace.

Non-RCT

Very Rigorous Journal

Highly Cited

Study Snapshot

Drawing enhances memory compared to writing, regardless of settings, instructions, and encoding strategies, suggesting a seamless integration of semantic, visual, and motor aspects of a memory trace.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

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The drawing effect: Evidence for reliable and robust memory benefits in free recall

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References

Intelligence, dual coding theory, and the brain

A neuroscientifically-enhanced, multimodal dual coding approach to intelligence focuses on the synergistic interactivity of verbal and nonverbal systems, improving our understanding of individual differences in cognitive abilities.

Testing the item-order account of design effects using the production effect.

The production effect, where people have better memory for words said aloud than for words read silently, may be explained by differential retention of order information in pure silent lists.

Assessing the costs and benefits of production in recognition

The production effect is a memory advantage for items studied aloud in recognition tasks, but it may cause additional costs for silent items when mixed with aloud items.

Interplay of the production and picture superiority effects: A signal detection analysis

The production and picture superiority effects interact to produce a more discriminative memory trace than the summation of each process individually.

Reassessing the basis of the production effect in memory.

The production effect in memory may be influenced by attributional factors, not just strength, and may not be a distinct advantage for items studied aloud compared to items studied silently.

Citations

Drawing behaviour influences ongoing thought patterns and subsequent memory

Drawing improves memory and evokes more visual and elaborative thoughts, leading to better recall and a more influential role in our everyday lives.

The Drawing Effect: Does Drawing Really Enhance Recall Memory?

The "drawing effect" is reduced when using a pure list design, and more research is needed before declaring a "drawing effect" for recalling text-based information.

Teach to Reach Younger Students by “Electronics”

Promoting active learning, increasing motivation, and facilitating learning phases effectively reduces fear of circuits and hardware among first-year Computer Science students.

Emotion in action: A study on the enactment effect on emotional action sentences

Enactment and emotional stimuli independently enhance memory performance for action sentences, with higher recall accuracy for negative sentences and enhanced recognition performance for both positive and negative stimuli.

Which Encoding Techniques Facilitate Comprehension?

Drawing and paraphrasing techniques improve comprehension compared to silent reading, while reading aloud at encoding shows no benefit compared to silent reading.