Interaction between mode of learning and subjective experience: Translation effects in long-term memory

Abstract

It has been suggested that writing auditorily presented words at encoding involves distinctive translation processes between visual and auditory domains, leading to the formation of distinctive memory traces at retrieval. This translation effect leads to higher levels of recognition than the writing of visually presented words, a non-translation effect. The present research investigated whether writing and the other translation effect of vocalisation (vocalising visually presented words) would be present in tests of recall, recognition memory and whether these effects are based on the subjective experience of remembering or knowing. Experiment 1 found a translation effect in the auditory domain in recall, as the translation effect of writing yielded higher recall than both non-translation effects of vocalisation and silently hearing. Experiment 2 found a translation effect in the visual domain in recognition, as the translation effect of vocalisation yielded higher recognition than both non-translation effects of writing and silently reading. This translation effect was attributable to the subjective experience of remembering rather than knowing. The present research therefore demonstrates the beneficial effect of translation in both recall and recognition, with the effect of vocalisation in recognition being based on rich episodic remembering.

Keywords:

• Translation effect
• Memory
• Subjective experience
• Modality
• Encoding activities

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude and profound regards to my Ph.D. supervisors, Dr Karen Brandt and Prof. Michael Eysenck, during my time at the University of Roehampton. Their tremendous guidance and endearing support was greatly appreciated. I wish them the best of luck in their own research in the future.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude and profound regards to my Ph.D. supervisors, Dr Karen Brandt and Prof. Michael Eysenck, during my time at the University of Roehampton. Their tremendous guidance and endearing support was greatly appreciated. I wish them the best of luck in their own research in the future.