Maintenance Rehearsal

Definition

Maintenance rehearsal is a memory strategy where an individual continuously repeats information in their mind in order to keep it active in their short-term or working memory. This type of rehearsal helps maintain information for a short period of time but does not lead to long-term storage of the information in the individual's memory.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Maintenance rehearsal is a passive memory strategy that does not lead to deep encoding of information in long-term memory.
2. This type of rehearsal is useful for temporarily storing information that needs to be recalled immediately, such as a phone number or a shopping list.
3. Maintenance rehearsal is limited in its effectiveness, as the information stored in short-term memory can be easily forgotten if not transferred to long-term memory through more elaborate memory strategies.
4. Continuous repetition of information is the key characteristic of maintenance rehearsal, as it helps keep the information active in the individual's working memory.
5. Unlike elaborative rehearsal, maintenance rehearsal does not involve connecting new information to existing knowledge or creating meaningful associations.

Review Questions

• Explain how maintenance rehearsal differs from elaborative rehearsal in terms of their effects on memory.
  • Maintenance rehearsal is a shallow memory strategy that simply involves the continuous repetition of information to keep it active in short-term or working memory. This type of rehearsal does not lead to the deep encoding of information in long-term memory. In contrast, elaborative rehearsal involves connecting new information to existing knowledge and creating meaningful associations, which facilitates the transfer of information to long-term storage and enhances long-term retention.
• Describe the role of maintenance rehearsal in the context of short-term and long-term memory.
  • Maintenance rehearsal is primarily used to maintain information in short-term or working memory, allowing individuals to temporarily store and recall information that is immediately relevant, such as a phone number or a shopping list. However, this type of rehearsal does not result in the information being transferred to long-term memory. To store information in long-term memory, individuals need to engage in more elaborate memory strategies, such as elaborative rehearsal, which involves connecting new information to existing knowledge and creating meaningful associations.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of maintenance rehearsal as a memory strategy compared to other techniques, such as elaborative rehearsal or mnemonics, in terms of long-term retention of information.
  • Maintenance rehearsal is a relatively limited memory strategy, as it only helps maintain information in short-term or working memory and does not lead to the deep encoding of information in long-term memory. While maintenance rehearsal can be useful for temporarily storing information that needs to be recalled immediately, it is not an effective strategy for long-term retention of information. In contrast, more elaborate memory strategies, such as elaborative rehearsal or the use of mnemonics, have been shown to be more effective in facilitating the transfer of information to long-term memory and enhancing long-term retention. These strategies involve creating meaningful associations, organizing information, and leveraging the brain's natural tendencies for better memory encoding and retrieval.

Related terms

Elaborative Rehearsal: A memory strategy where an individual connects new information to their existing knowledge and memories, leading to deeper processing and better long-term retention of the information.

Working Memory: The ability to hold and manipulate information in the mind for a short period of time, usually less than 30 seconds.

Long-Term Memory: The storage of information over an extended period of time, from minutes to a lifetime.