The tendency to immediately recall the first and last items in a list better than the middle items is known as the ________ effect.

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The tendency to recall the first and last items in a list better than the middle items is known as the serial position effect. It occurs due to the way information is encoded and retrieved from memory. The first item is thought to be more easily stored in long-term memory due to its novelty, while the last item is more easily remembered due to its recentness. The middle items are more likely to be forgotten or confused with other items in the list.

The Tendency to Immediately Recall the First and Last Items