---
title: "Elaborative Rehearsal — AP Psychology Definition & Examples"
description: "Elaborative rehearsal means encoding by connecting new info to meaning, not just repeating it. See how it beats maintenance rehearsal on the AP Psych exam."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-psych-revised/key-terms/elaborative-rehearsal"
type: "key-term"
subject: "AP Psychology"
---

# Elaborative Rehearsal — AP Psychology Definition & Examples

## Definition

Elaborative rehearsal is a memory technique that involves thinking about the meaning of the term to be remembered, as opposed to simply repeating the word to yourself over and over.

## Additional Context

- **Theoretical Perspectives**: Elaborative rehearsal is a memory technique that involves thinking about the meaning of the term to be remembered, as opposed to mere repetitive rote learning. Cognitive psychology highlights its role in enhancing long-term memory retention by establishing associative networks.
- **Study And Research Findings**: Research by Craik and Lockhart (1972) introduced the Levels of Processing framework, indicating that deeper levels of analysis produce more enduring memory. Elaborative rehearsal was found to facilitate this deep processing, leading to stronger, more retrievable memory traces.

## Related Study Guides

- [5.2 Encoding](/ap-psych-revised/unit-5/encoding/study-guide/zBpeGutcAtgQtTFp7VtM)

## Review

### Related Terms

- [Encoding](/ap-psych-revised/key-terms/encoding): The process of transforming information into a form that can be stored in memory.
- [Semantic Memory](/ap-psych-revised/key-terms/semantic-memory): A portion of long-term memory that processes ideas and concepts not drawn from personal experience. It includes things such as facts, words, categories, etc.
- [Maintenance Rehearsal](/ap-psych-revised/key-terms/maintenance-rehearsal): A type of memory rehearsal that is useful in maintaining information in short term or working memory.