A new study has found that speaking text aloud helps to get words into long-term memory. Dubbed the ‘production effect,’ the study determined that it is the dual action of speaking and hearing oneself that has the most beneficial impact on memory.
According to the study, you are more likely to remember something if you read it out loud. Image credit: Pexels.
“Our study confirms that learning and memory benefit from active involvement,” said co-author Professor Colin MacLeod, from the University of Waterloo, Canada.
“When we add an active measure or a production element to a word, that word becomes more distinct in long-term memory, and hence more memorable.”
Professor MacLeod and his colleague, Dr. Noah Forrin, tested four methods for learning written information, including reading silently, hearing someone else read, listening to a recording of oneself reading, and reading aloud in real time.
The results from tests with 95 participants showed that the production effect of reading information aloud to yourself resulted in the best remembering.
“Our results imply that oral production is beneficial because it entails two distinctive components: a motor (speech) act and a unique, self-referential auditory input,” the authors said.
“When we consider the practical applications of this research, I think of seniors who are advised to do puzzles and crosswords to help strengthen their memory,” Professor MacLeod said.
“This study suggests that the idea of action or activity also improves memory.”
“And we know that regular exercise and movement are also strong building blocks for a good memory,” he added.
The findings are published in the journal Memory.
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Noah D. Forrin & Colin M. MacLeod. This time it’s personal: the memory benefit of hearing oneself. Memory, published online October 2, 2017; doi: 10.1080/09658211.2017.1383434
