The Effect of Imagery‐Based Mnemonics on the Long‐Term Retention of Chinese Characters

Two studies compared the effects of imagery‐based instruction and rote learning on the long‐term recall of English translations of Chinese ideographs. Both studies used a 2×2 factorial design with Learning Condition (mnemonic vs. rote learning) and Time (immediate vs. delayed recall) as the between‐subjects factors. In Study 1 total exposure time to Chinese ideographs and their English equivalents was held constant for both learning conditions. Cued recall was tested immediately and after a two‐day delay. In Study 2 total exposure time for the rote learning group was increased so that the immediate recall performance for both learning conditions would be comparable. Also, the delayed retention period was lengthened to one week. Despite variations in procedure, the pattern of results obtained in both studies was the same: in no instance was there any indication that imagery‐based mnemonics conferred an advantage beyond the immediate test of recall. In fact, greater forgetting was found under conditions of mnemonic learning compared to rote learning. This finding is discussed within a theoretical framework emphasizing the differential long‐term effect of experimenter‐imposed versus subject‐generated encodings.