Abstract
Verbal materials chosen by participants are better remembered than those assigned to be learned. Two explanations for the effect have been offered. One explanation argues that the opportunity to choose enhances motivation, which in turn not only improves the learning of chosen materials but also generalizes to assigned materials. The process explanation, on the other hand, argues that choice strengthens item specific learning only. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the adequency of these two explanations. Sixty four female college students were asked to remember one to-be-remembered (TBR) word from each pair words. In the choice condition, TBR words were chosen by the participants. In the force condition, TBR words were selected randomly by the experimenter. In a within participants design with two sets of materials, one group initially learned chosen materials followed by the learning of force or assigned materials. The other group received the opposite sequence. The beneficial effects of choice were limited to participant-chosen materials. These results are consistent with the process explanation for the self-choice effect.
