Testing potentiates new learning：The Role of Lag

Interim testing during continuous learning can benefit subsequent learning of new information, but the effects of lag (the time between the presentation of original and new learning) between successive learning episodes remain unknown. In two experiments, we investigated the effects of introducing different lags (1min and 6min) during multi-list learning on new learning. Participants studied four lists of weakly associated cue words and performed recall and relearning tasks after studying Lists 1-3. Memory performance on List 4 was used to assess the effects of different learning strategies and delays on new learning. In Experiment 2, the retention interval for the interim test was extended to 48 hours. The results showed that introducing a 6-minute gap between the study of each list significantly improved memory performance compared to a 1-minute gap, with this effect persisting even after a 48-hour retention interval. These findings suggest that combining interim testing with delay enhances both the acquisition of new knowledge and its long-term retention. The underlying mechanism for this effect appears to be attentional recovery induced by the delay.持续学习过程中的中间测试（interim testing）可对后续新信息的学习带来增益，但连续学习阶段之间的间隔时长（即初始学习材料呈现与新学习之间的时间间隔）所产生的效应仍未明确。本研究通过两项实验，探究了多列表学习（multi-list learning）过程中设置不同间隔时长（1分钟与6分钟）对新学习的影响。被试需识记四组弱关联提示词（weakly associated cue words），并在完成第1至3组列表的识记后完成回忆与再学习任务（recall and relearning tasks）。以被试在第4组列表上的记忆表现，评估不同学习策略与间隔时长对新学习的影响。在第二项实验中，中间测试的保持间隔（retention interval）被延长至48小时。结果显示，相较于1分钟间隔，在每组列表学习之间设置6分钟间隔可显著提升记忆表现，且该效应在保持间隔延长至48小时后依然存在。本研究结果表明，将中间测试与间隔时长相结合，既可提升新知识的习得效率，也能增强其长期保持效果。该效应的潜在机制可能为间隔时长所引发的注意恢复。