Light

Recency Effect

Definition

The recency effect is a cognitive bias that results in better recall of information presented at the end of a list or sequence.

Analogy

Think of the recency effect like watching a movie. You're more likely to remember the ending scenes because they were the most recent, just like you're more likely to remember items at the end of a list.

Related terms

Serial Position Effect: This is an occurrence where people tend to remember the first and last items in a series best, and the middle items worst. The recency effect contributes to this phenomenon.

Cognitive Bias: This refers to systematic errors in thinking that affect decisions and judgments people make. The recency effect is one type of cognitive bias.

Short-term Memory: This is part of your memory system where limited amounts of information can be stored for brief periods. Information from short-term memory may be transferred into long-term memory through rehearsal; it's also where we see effects like recency come into play.