nant-vowel-consonant combination. These combinations which included some 2300, were not word and therefore did not make sense, hence the term “nonsense.” He used these so-called nonsense syllables in order to discourage how the prior existence of the meanings may influence learning of the present. He used nonsense syllables in order to prevent complications in the experiment and its results. In order for Ebbinghaus to regulate the grade of learning achieved, he incorporated a fixed learning criterion. In most conditions this criterion was that of one or more perfect recitations without any hesitations. As I had previously stated his only subject was himself, he presented himself with these nonsense syllables at a rate of 2.5 items per second. He completed many trials for accuracy in his data. From the data he gathered he was able to develop what we call the “Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve,” which I have drawn below.The curve shows us quite simply that forgetting is the most rapid the first few hours after learning. If one examines the graph he/she sees that after only 20 minutes after original learning the curve drops sharply showing the amount of information that is retained has greatly declined. After roughly two days after the initial learning phase the curve begins to level off with only a minimal decline in the amount of information retained. Ebbinghaus noted that people forget 90% of what they learned in a class after 30 days.Ebbinhaus also studied how repetition or what he called “overlearning” affects memory retention. He experimented with this by studying a particular list 32 times, which was the approximate number needed in order to accomplish one perfect recitation. This became his control condition in the experiment. In order to express “overlearning” he studied another list twice as much or 64 times. He found from this that the aspect of overlearning provide...
