Retention over time in relation to arousal during learning: An explanation of discrepant results

Arousal increment (more simply, arousal) during learning is related to subsequent retention. Published results are discrepant. In some studies physiologically higher arousal, relative to lower, is related to better short-term (a few minutes) and long-term (30 min or more) retention. In other studies higher arousal is related to poorer short-term and better long-term retention. Both results are explained here in terms of the retentivity-accessibility hypothesis, which is derived in this article on the basis of an analysis of methodological differences between studies obtaining the two results. The hypothesis states that high arousal is associated with strong retentivity but poor short-term accessibility. The hypothesis is evaluated on the basis of its compatibility with published results.