Is perceiving another’s error detrimental to learning from corrective feedback?

Abstract

Students frequently make errors when learning, but generating errors can enhance subsequent learning from corrective feedback (i.e. the testing effect). There have also been cases in which errors generated by someone can be shared with others. Notably, it has been found that listening to errors provided by someone could hinder the other’s subsequent learning from corrective feedback. In this study, we investigated whether the learning of someone who knows the correct answers beforehand is impaired by perceiving another’s error (i.e. retroactive interference). Thus, two experiments were conducted: a simulated question-and-answer situation (Experiment 1) and a mutual question-and-answer situation in which 2 students quizzed one another (Experiment 2). The results showed that the cued-recall performance of the tester who had received incorrect answers a week prior was not different from that in the case of learning with only reading (control condition), showing no negative effects. Furthermore, the memory performance of participants who took a test was better than the control condition, demonstrating the testing effect. We, thereby, discuss the efficacy of the reciprocal testing procedure as a learning method.