Do tests facilitate decision‐making performance on a transfer task?

• Published in: Applied cognitive psychology Vol. 32; no. 5; pp. 575 - 583
• Main Authors: Avci, Gunes, Woods, Steven P., Tierney, Savanna M., Kordovski, Victoria M., Morgan, Erin E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bognor Regis Wiley 01.09.2018; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Between-subjects design; College Students; Decision Making; Delayed; Delayed memory; Educational Environment; Free recall; Learning; Memory; Mental task performance; Multiple choice; Recall (Psychology); Retrieval; Teaching Methods; Testing; testing effect; retrieval practice; Tests; Transfer learning; transfer of learning; Transfer of Training
• ISSN: 0888-4080; 1099-0720
• DOI: 10.1002/acp.3437

Abtract Testing can improve later recall of information. However, much less is known about the potential use of testing in promoting the transfer of learning. In this study, we investigated whether testing improves decision‐making performance on a transfer task in a sample of 98 university students using a between‐subjects design. After studying several statements about a fictional disease under different learning conditions (restudy, free recall, and multiple‐choice), participants were asked to recall this information and subsequently make medical decisions concerning the fictional disease (i.e., the transfer task). The present study found no advantage of testing conditions over restudy condition on the 30‐min delayed memory task. However, participants in the active retrieval practice (i.e., free recall) group performed significantly better on the transfer task over those in both restudy and multiple‐choice groups. These results suggest free‐recall tests promote the transfer of learning.