On the way to the grocery store, James repeats his list to himself—'Bread, milk, butter. Bread, milk butter.' James is using

• A. elaborative rehearsal.
• B. maintenance rehearsal.
• C. the method of loci.
• D. encoding specificity.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Begin by understanding the concept of 'maintenance rehearsal'. This is a cognitive process where information is repeated over and over to keep it in short-term memory, without adding meaning or context.
2. Next, consider 'elaborative rehearsal'. This involves linking new information with existing knowledge, creating deeper connections and aiding long-term memory retention.
3. The 'method of loci' is a mnemonic device that involves associating information with specific locations or landmarks in a familiar place, enhancing recall through spatial memory.
4. Understand 'encoding specificity', which refers to the principle that memory is improved when information available at encoding is also available at retrieval, emphasizing context-dependent memory.
5. Analyze James's behavior: repeating the list to himself without adding context or meaning suggests he is using 'maintenance rehearsal', as he is simply trying to keep the information active in his short-term memory.