The authors examined the role of distinctiveness in the differential memory performance of visual and verbal elaboration strategies. Twenty-eight undergraduates learned information about familiar and unfamiliar animals while using either the visual (imagery) or verbal (answering why questions) elaboration strategies. There was no difference between the 2 strategies in level of organization for the familiar animal material, but imagery students organized unfamiliar animal information into intact sets more than verbal elaboration students. Imagery easily permits the generation of relations and distinctions for unfamiliar material through the creation of unique mental images. In contrast, learners using verbal elaboration may be more likely to access general rather than specific information when answering why questions for unfamiliar information.
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