View in EDS

Active Control of Learning Enhances Memory across the Lifespan

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Active Control of Learning Enhances Memory across the Lifespan
Language: English
Authors: Azzurra Ruggeri, Yi-Lin Li (ORCID 0000-0002-1682-5432), Antonella Battisti, Douglas B. Markant
Source: Journal of Educational Psychology. 2025 117(3):529-540.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Active Learning, Memory, Recognition (Psychology), Spatial Ability, Study Habits, Lifelong Learning, Learning Processes, Adolescents, Young Adults, Older Adults, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: Italy, Germany
DOI: 10.1037/edu0000927
ISSN: 0022-0663
1939-2176
Abstract: This article investigates the effects of active control of the study materials on recognition and spatial memory, tracing for the first time its cross-sectional lifespan trajectory from ages 5 to 69. We analyzed one set of published data, reporting results from children aged 5 to 10 years (n = 99; Ruggeri et al., 2019), together with three new, unpublished sets of data collected from adolescents (14-17 years; n = 43), younger (22-30 years; n = 26) and older adults (61-69 years; n = 27), all using the same experimental paradigm. Our results indicate a strong robustness of the active learning advantage, which emerges at age 5, reaches an adult-like magnitude by age 8, and remains stable throughout the lifespan. Furthermore, our analyses reveal that spatial and recognition memory are influenced by study patterns, in particular, the systematicity of the study pattern, and that this relationship is also robust across age groups, despite striking developmental differences in how participants strategically approach active study. We consider potential interpretations and implications for the lifespan robustness of the findings, and outline promising future directions for theoretical and applied research, highlighting the need for more thorough analyses of the individual, environmental, and situational factors that mediate and drive the advantage for active learning.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://osf.io/rx6k8
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1506937
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1506937
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Active Control of Learning Enhances Memory across the Lifespan
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Azzurra+Ruggeri%22">Azzurra Ruggeri</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yi-Lin+Li%22">Yi-Lin Li</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1682-5432">0000-0002-1682-5432</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Antonella+Battisti%22">Antonella Battisti</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Douglas+B%2E+Markant%22">Douglas B. Markant</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Educational+Psychology%22"><i>Journal of Educational Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2025 117(3):529-540.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 12
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Active+Learning%22">Active Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Memory%22">Memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Recognition+%28Psychology%29%22">Recognition (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spatial+Ability%22">Spatial Ability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Study+Habits%22">Study Habits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lifelong+Learning%22">Lifelong Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Processes%22">Learning Processes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adolescents%22">Adolescents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Young+Adults%22">Young Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Older+Adults%22">Older Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Italy%22">Italy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Germany%22">Germany</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1037/edu0000927
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0022-0663<br />1939-2176
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This article investigates the effects of active control of the study materials on recognition and spatial memory, tracing for the first time its cross-sectional lifespan trajectory from ages 5 to 69. We analyzed one set of published data, reporting results from children aged 5 to 10 years (n = 99; Ruggeri et al., 2019), together with three new, unpublished sets of data collected from adolescents (14-17 years; n = 43), younger (22-30 years; n = 26) and older adults (61-69 years; n = 27), all using the same experimental paradigm. Our results indicate a strong robustness of the active learning advantage, which emerges at age 5, reaches an adult-like magnitude by age 8, and remains stable throughout the lifespan. Furthermore, our analyses reveal that spatial and recognition memory are influenced by study patterns, in particular, the systematicity of the study pattern, and that this relationship is also robust across age groups, despite striking developmental differences in how participants strategically approach active study. We consider potential interpretations and implications for the lifespan robustness of the findings, and outline promising future directions for theoretical and applied research, highlighting the need for more thorough analyses of the individual, environmental, and situational factors that mediate and drive the advantage for active learning.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: Note
  Label: Notes
  Group: Note
  Data: https://osf.io/rx6k8
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1506937
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1506937
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1037/edu0000927
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 12
        StartPage: 529
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Active Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Memory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Recognition (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spatial Ability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Study Habits
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Lifelong Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learning Processes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adolescents
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Young Adults
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Older Adults
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Italy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Germany
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Active Control of Learning Enhances Memory across the Lifespan
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Azzurra Ruggeri
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Yi-Lin Li
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Antonella Battisti
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Douglas B. Markant
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0022-0663
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1939-2176
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 117
            – Type: issue
              Value: 3
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Educational Psychology
              Type: main
ResultId 1