Semantic priming and spreading activation
After reading a list that includes “doctor,” participants recognize the word “nurse” faster than the word “butter.” This is best explained by:
Answer C: explanation for every choice
A
Encoding specificity is better recall when retrieval cues match the context of encoding.
B
Proactive interference is old learning disrupting new learning.
C
Correct. Activating one concept spreads activation to related concepts in the semantic network, making them easier to access.
D
Chunking is grouping items to expand short-term memory capacity.
TakeawayActivating a concept partly activates related concepts.
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Reviewed 2026-11-05 by a medical student. Spot an error? Report it with question ID ps46.