Nina learned to use sign language when she had a hearing-impaired roommate.Now her roommate has moved out, and Nina no longer practices signing.Based on the results from Ebbinghaus' studies, which investigated the typical pattern of forgetting, if Nina's memory for signs is tested several times over the next few years, you should predict that:
A)very few signs will be forgotten early, but later on there will be a rapid decline in the number of signs she is able to use correctly
B)there will be a constant steady decline in the number of signs she is able to use correctly
C)most signs will be forgotten early, and there will continue to be a slow decline in the number of signs she is able to use correctly
D)most signs will be forgotten early, but later there will be a slow steady increase in the number of signs she is able to use correctly

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ebbinghaus' research showed that forgetting is rapid in the initial stages and then gradually slows down over time. Since Nina has not been practicing sign language, it is likely that she will forget most of the signs she learned early on. However, since sign language was once a part of her memory, she may be able to retain some of the signs for a longer period of time, resulting in a slow decline in the number of signs she is able to use correctly over time. Therefore, most signs will be forgotten early, and there will continue to be a slow decline in the number of signs she is able to use correctly.

Nina Learned to Use Sign Language When She Had a Hearing-Impaired