Feedback likely supported both consolidation and rule induction in the observed retrieval practice benefits¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q1
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q1 i? The authors state the benefits observed reflect retrieval practice with feedback rather than retrieval alone, with feedback possibly refining representations and supporting comparison across instances. → Meng Cao & Paulo F. Carvalho 2026

Evidence¶

Meng Cao & Paulo F. Carvalho 2026¶

Meng Cao & Paulo F. Carvalho. (2026). Striking the Balance: How Variability Shapes Retrieval Practice and Worked Examples for Transfer Learning. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-026-10169-w

q1 · i? · causal · r2

This is the authors' interpretation in the General Discussion, not a separately tested manipulation: no feedback-absent condition existed in either experiment. They argue corrective feedback may have helped refine emerging representations and, in the varied retrieval condition, supported comparison across instances.

"Thus, the benefits observed in the present study reflect retrieval practice with feedback rather than retrieval alone."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Retrieval Failure Reduces Benefit — related
• Retrieval practice and spaced retrieval improve achievement and retention by medium amounts, while interleaving helps category learning only for some materials and blocking beats it for words — a broader claim this one bears on