The perceptual fluency hypothesis proposes that items that are easier to perceive at study will be given higher memorability ratings, as compared with less fluent items. However, prior research has examined this metamemorial cue primarily using mixed-list designs. Furthermore, certain memory effects are moderated by the design (mixed list vs. pure list) used to present stimuli. The present study utilized mixed as well as pure lists to assess whether judgments of learning based on perceptual fluency are relative or absolute and whether people are sensitive to differences in recall produced by variation in list composition. Using font size and generation manipulations, Experiments 1 and 2 showed that the effect of perceptual fluency on metamemory is relative in nature, occurring only in mixed lists. Experiments 2 and 3 revealed that metamemory is insensitive to the effect of list composition on recall. These findings are consistent with the assumptions of Koriat's (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 126: 349-370, 1997) cue-utilization framework, that JOLs reflect a comparative process and are insensitive to cues pertaining to conditions of learning.

Numerous laboratory studies have demonstrated the long-term memory benefits of studying material in multiple distributed sessions as opposed to one massed session, given an identical amount of overall study time (i.e., the spacing effect). The current study goes beyond the laboratory to investigate whether undergraduates know about the advantage of spaced study, to what extent they use it in their own studying, and what factors influence its utilization.Participants (n = 285) completed a web-based survey responding to questions about their study behaviors, metacognitive awareness of spacing, the factors that contribute to the distribution of their study time, and independent measures of metacognitive self-regulation and use of elaboration study strategies. Results indicate that participants are aware of the benefits of spaced study and use it more than massing when they study, but do not implement it frequently.Students also endorsed several factors as important in the decision to distribute their study time.Further, level of metacognitive self-regulation and use of elaboration techniques were associated with the tendency to space material. Additional research is needed to examine student study habits in a naturalistic setting, and to explore effective ways to encourage behavior change through motivational and teaching techniques.

Perceptual fluency manipulations influence metamemory judgments, with more fluently perceived information judged as more memorable. However, it is not always clear whether this influence is driven by actual experienced processing fluency or by beliefs about memory. The current study used an identity-priming paradigm-in which words are preceded by either matched (identical) or mismatched primes-to examine the 2 influences. Participants named and made judgments of learning (JOLs) for critical words and then completed a memory test. In Experiment 1, we briefly presented the primes and found a priming effect on naming latencies but not on JOLs. In Experiment 2, we presented the primes for longer durations and, again, found an effect on naming in addition to an effect on JOLs. A mediation analysis revealed that naming latencies did not account for the prime-JOL relationship. This pattern of results demonstrated a manipulation of perceptual fluency that influenced JOLs only when belief-based information was readily available.

No abstract