143 von Restorff Effect
Uncommon things are easier to recall than common things.
• Proposed by German psychiatrist Hedwig von Restorff.
• The von Restorff effect results from the increased attention given to novel things relative to other things.
• For example, in the set of characters EZQL4PMBI, people will have heightened recall for the 4 because it is the only number in the sequence.
• The strength of the effect is a function of the novelty of the thing to be recalled.
• Apply the von Restorff effect to attract attention and increase memorability. Since recall for the middle items in a sequence is weaker than items at the beginning or end, use the von Restorff effect to boost recall for middle items. Consider unusual words, sentence constructions, and images to improve interestingness and recall.
See Also Highlighting • Layering • Mnemonic Device Serial Position Effects • Stickiness • Threat Detection
