According to the fan effect, increased numbers of connections with a concept can make retrieval from long-term episodic memory slower, whereas increased numbers of associations make retrieval from semantic memory faster. Why might this be the case?
A) Episodic memory is more fragile, and prone to forgetting.
B) Semantic memory allows for the possibility of indirect connections between concepts.
C) Episodic memory is a qualitatively different memory system.
D) Semantic memories are more spatially distributed in the brain.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Semantic memory is organized based on the relationships between concepts, meaning that indirect connections between concepts are possible. This allows for faster retrieval when there are more associations between concepts. Episodic memory, on the other hand, is based on specific events and requires the retrieval of the entire context in which a memory was formed. The more connections there are with a concept in episodic memory, the more information needs to be retrieved, making retrieval slower.

According to the Fan Effect, Increased Numbers of Connections with a Concept