Elaborative interrogation effects on children's learning of factual content.

Abstract

In 2 experiments children in Grades 4-8 learned facts under different instructional conditions. Control Ss were given base sentences containing facts and were permitted to study them as they wished. In some conditions fact sentences were accompanied by elaborations (e.g., an explanation of why a stated animal lived in a stated locale). Ss in the elaborative interrogation conditions attempted to construct their own reasons for why the facts held true. Ss in the imagery conditions constructed internal imaginal representations for each (e.g., an image of a stated animal living in the stated locale)