Beyond encoding: How do different retrieval contexts modulate the effect of judgments of learning reactivity on memory.

The act of making judgments of learning (JOLs), which involves predicting one's likelihood of remembering information, can modify memory performance, a phenomenon known as JOL reactivity. This study investigates the conditions under which JOL reactivity occurs, focusing on the interplay between encoding processes and retrieval contexts. Across three experiments, participants generated target words either from their phonological or semantic cues or read them in a within-subjects design. For testing JOL reactivity, one group provided JOLs, whereas the other group made random ratings. Experiment 1 used a recognition test, Experiment 2 employed a cued-recall test, and Experiment 3 introduced a process-matched cued-recall test to examine how JOL reactivity may differ across test types. Across experiments, participants produced higher memory performance for the generate than read condition and for semantic processing than phonological processing. Moreover, participants who provided JOLs outperformed participants in the random-rating group, showing the overall JOL reactivity effect. However, the magnitude and scope of this effect depended on the retrieval type. The recognition test boosted memory performance across both phonological and semantic processing conditions. Cued recall selectively favored semantic processing over phonological processing. Finally, process-matched cued recall showed JOL reactivity emerged primarily for semantic retrieval cues. These findings suggest that while JOL reactivity generally enhances the quality of encoding, the type of retrieval test critically determines whether and to what extent these improvements in memory performance are observable. The results are discussed in light of the cue-strengthening hypothesis, enhanced relational processing, and elaborative processing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).