How Much Do Metamemory Beliefs Contribute to the Font-Size Effect in Judgments of Learning?

PLoS One. 2015 Nov 10;10(11):e0142351. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142351. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Evidence shows that the font size of study items significantly influences judgments of learning (JOLs) and that people's JOLs are generally higher for larger words than for smaller words. Previous studies have suggested that font size influences JOLs in a belief-based way. However, few studies have directly examined how much people's beliefs contribute to the font-size effect in JOLs. This study investigated the degree to which font size influenced JOLs in a belief-based way. In Experiment 1, one group of participants (learners) studied words with different font sizes and made JOLs, whereas another group of participants (observers) viewed the learners' study phase and made JOLs for the learners. In Experiment 2, participants made both JOLs and belief-based recall predictions for large and small words. Our results suggest that metamemory beliefs play an important role in the font-size effect in JOLs.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Judgment / physiology*
  • Learning / physiology*
  • Male
  • Memory / physiology*
  • Metacognition / physiology*
  • Neuropsychological Tests

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31100817, 31000506), Beijing Higher Education Young Elite Teacher Project and the project for young people who are devoted to the researches of humanities and social sciences (10YJCXLX032) of the Ministry of Education of People’s Republic of China. LL received the funds. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.