Acquiring New Factual Information: Effect of Prior Knowledge

One influential theory on object knowledge is feature-based model, which proposes that the object knowledge is organized by different feature types, such as sensory/perceptual and motor/functional ones. Previous studies have shown that prior knowledge enhances the processes of acquiring and remember...

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Main Authors: Haoyu Chen, Xueling Ning, Lingwei Wang, Jiongjiong Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-09-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01734/full
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author Haoyu Chen
Xueling Ning
Lingwei Wang
Jiongjiong Yang
author_facet Haoyu Chen
Xueling Ning
Lingwei Wang
Jiongjiong Yang
author_sort Haoyu Chen
collection DOAJ
description One influential theory on object knowledge is feature-based model, which proposes that the object knowledge is organized by different feature types, such as sensory/perceptual and motor/functional ones. Previous studies have shown that prior knowledge enhances the processes of acquiring and remembering relevant information. However, whether the effect of prior knowledge is applied to different types of conceptual information over time remains unclear. In this study, we addressed this question by testing memory of different types of object features at various retention intervals. The level of prior knowledge was manipulated as object features from familiar and unfamiliar categories. In Experiments 1 and 2, sentences that described the perceptual and functional features of new words were presented. Sentences with episodic features were additionally presented in Experiment 2. The participants were then tested with recognition (Experiment 1) and recall (Experiment 2) tasks at different retention intervals. The results showed that prior knowledge enhanced memory for perceptual features but not for functional and episodic features. Such enhancement depended on the recollection process. In addition, the effect of prior knowledge on perceptual features remained stable over time. This study clarified how different types of new factual information were acquired and maintained and highlighted the importance of prior knowledge in acquiring new conceptual knowledge with the passage of time.
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spelling doaj.art-8399c799b88341599870b7efa2ef7d522022-12-22T03:16:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782018-09-01910.3389/fpsyg.2018.01734370248Acquiring New Factual Information: Effect of Prior KnowledgeHaoyu ChenXueling NingLingwei WangJiongjiong YangOne influential theory on object knowledge is feature-based model, which proposes that the object knowledge is organized by different feature types, such as sensory/perceptual and motor/functional ones. Previous studies have shown that prior knowledge enhances the processes of acquiring and remembering relevant information. However, whether the effect of prior knowledge is applied to different types of conceptual information over time remains unclear. In this study, we addressed this question by testing memory of different types of object features at various retention intervals. The level of prior knowledge was manipulated as object features from familiar and unfamiliar categories. In Experiments 1 and 2, sentences that described the perceptual and functional features of new words were presented. Sentences with episodic features were additionally presented in Experiment 2. The participants were then tested with recognition (Experiment 1) and recall (Experiment 2) tasks at different retention intervals. The results showed that prior knowledge enhanced memory for perceptual features but not for functional and episodic features. Such enhancement depended on the recollection process. In addition, the effect of prior knowledge on perceptual features remained stable over time. This study clarified how different types of new factual information were acquired and maintained and highlighted the importance of prior knowledge in acquiring new conceptual knowledge with the passage of time.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01734/fullsemantic memoryconceptual representationprior knowledgeepisodic memorymemory consolidation
spellingShingle Haoyu Chen
Xueling Ning
Lingwei Wang
Jiongjiong Yang
Acquiring New Factual Information: Effect of Prior Knowledge
Frontiers in Psychology
semantic memory
conceptual representation
prior knowledge
episodic memory
memory consolidation
title Acquiring New Factual Information: Effect of Prior Knowledge
title_full Acquiring New Factual Information: Effect of Prior Knowledge
title_fullStr Acquiring New Factual Information: Effect of Prior Knowledge
title_full_unstemmed Acquiring New Factual Information: Effect of Prior Knowledge
title_short Acquiring New Factual Information: Effect of Prior Knowledge
title_sort acquiring new factual information effect of prior knowledge
topic semantic memory
conceptual representation
prior knowledge
episodic memory
memory consolidation
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01734/full
work_keys_str_mv AT haoyuchen acquiringnewfactualinformationeffectofpriorknowledge
AT xuelingning acquiringnewfactualinformationeffectofpriorknowledge
AT lingweiwang acquiringnewfactualinformationeffectofpriorknowledge
AT jiongjiongyang acquiringnewfactualinformationeffectofpriorknowledge