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The recency effect is the tendency to remember the most recently presented information best.
This happens as a result of the recency effect.
You have probably experienced this effect many times when you attempt to learn something new.
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What information do you think you will remember the best?
Chances are that you will have a pretty good recall of what you learned last or the most recently.
You also likely have a good recall of the first few things you learned.
The recency effect can tell us a bit about how memory works.
you might also find ways to maximize your memory by better understanding how and why this effect takes place.
How the Recency Effect Works
The recency effect is dependent uponshort-term memory.
This information is held and kept active for use, but it is not manipulated.
Short-term memory is limited in terms of both capacity and duration.
A very long delay between learning items and recalling will often completely eliminate this effect.
If you do not rehearse that information, however, it will quickly be lost and fade from memory.
Marketers take advantage of the recency effect by ensuring the beginning and ends of ads are positive and appealing.
Active Memory
One is that the most recent information is still present in active memory.
This increases the accuracy of recall.
The length of the information presented and how it is presented can influence the recency effect.
Consciously paying more attention to items at the beginning or middle may help reduce this effect.
Intervening Tasks
Interference can occur if another task or information is presented after the first task.
Age
Research suggests that age can also have an impact on the recency effect.
In one study, older adults showed reduced retention of middle and recency information on a memory task.
The researchers concluded that older adults are less efficient at transferring middle and recent words from short-term tolong-term memory.
This means skipping over things like basic administrative tasks such as taking attendance and meet-and-greet icebreakers.
The middle section of class might involve a brief break where these formalities might be better attended to.
Taking steps like breaking up study sessions into shorter periods can help.
Spend the last few moments that you focus on something reviewing the most important details.
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