Semantic relatedness proactively benefits learning, memory, and interdependence across episodes

Abstract

Over the past century of memory research, the interplay between initial and later-learned information in determining long-term memory retention has been of central interest. A likely candidate for determining whether initial and later memories interfere with or strengthen each other is semantic relatedness. Relatedness has been shown to retroactively boost initial memory and increase the interdependence between earlier and more recent experiences in memory. Here, we investigated the converse relationship of how relatedness proactively affects later memory for paired associates. In five experiments (N = 1000 total), we varied the relatedness between initial and later cues, initial and later targets, or both. Across experiments and conditions, relatedness profoundly benefited later-learned memories – in some conditions, low relatedness reliably produced proactive interference (versus a control condition) while high relatedness produced proactive facilitation within the same experiment. Additionally, relatedness also accelerated learning and increased interdependence between initial and later-learned pairs. In sum, we demonstrate the robust effects of relatedness in scaffolding memory for recently learned information and creating strong integrative links with prior experiences.