The Self-Reference Effect
The self-reference effect refers to a phenomenon where people tend to be better able to remember information if it has been related to themselves in some way.
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Why does it work?
Linking information to the self is a type of "encoding" that happens in the brain. Because we tend to know "ourself" as a key set of encoded information, it is already well-remembered and well-organized. We also tend to think more deeply about anything related to ourselves, which results in a better-integrated memory. Thus, the hypothesis is that when we link new information to what we already know about ourselves, it is easier to locate and retrieve later. -
How can I use it in teaching?
The self-reference effect is strong when people consider how something is "like" themselves.
Thus, consider having students create an analogy between a course concept and themselves.
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- "I am like this work of art because..."
Other self-reference instructional strategies:
- Have students write example sentences in first-person format
- "I have connective tissues in my joints and around my organs. For example, in my elbow..."
- Create a sense of ownership among students about a topic or set of topics
- "Select the 3 concepts that will be yours: YOU will be the expert on these concepts."
- Ask students how a concept relates to their interests, values, or experiences
- "My grandmother had Alzheimer's and I noticed several symptoms we are learning about: ..."
- Have students create sample test questions using their own interests to personalize
them
- "In the pit, I need to find tires with the same circumference that can replace those on the incoming race car. The car's tire diameter is ..."
- Pose questions where students consider how the information will be used in their future
- "When I become a nurse, I can see this information being helpful when ..."
Be transparent: Tell students the value of this method! Encourage them to relate course information to themselves as they study.
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What does the research show?
A meta-analysis on the self-reference effect, conducted in 1997, indicated that "self-referent encoding strategies yielded superior memory" when compared to other learning methods (Symons & Johnson, 1997).
A study using psychology students in college as participants found that those asked to judge how much a work of art reminded them of a personal memory had better recognition of artworks than those asked to judge a work's beauty or symmetry (Lee, Jacquot, Makowski, Arcangeli, Dokic, Piolino, & Sperduti, 2023).