Taking perspectives while studying descriptive information

Abstract

What can be done to maximize a learner's ability to process new, descriptive information? The present experiment evaluated a strategy for learning new information that is based on research examining the benefits of taking perspectives as a general processing strategy. Simultaneously, the present experiment compared the effectiveness of a verbal-spatial display system (knowledge mapping) with traditional text passages for enhancing free recall performance. Delayed free recall performance indicates that taking perspectives is an effective strategy for learning new information. Further, results show that, among learners who were instructed to use perspectives while studying, those who used knowledge maps were able to more accurately predict their performance than those who used text. These results are discussed in the context of previous research, and future directions are discussed.