Henry L. Roediger III (b. 1947) is one of the most prolific and influential memory researchers, known for bridging basic memory science with practical applications in education. His research on the testing effect (retrieval practice), false memories, and memory illusions has both advanced theoretical understanding of memory and produced practical recommendations that have transformed evidence-based study strategies.
The Testing Effect
Roediger's most influential contribution, with Jeffrey Karpicke, is demonstrating the powerful benefits of retrieval practice (the testing effect). Their landmark 2006 study showed that students who practiced retrieving information (through tests) remembered significantly more on a delayed test than students who spent equivalent time re-studying — even though the re-study group predicted they would remember more. This finding, replicated across hundreds of studies, has transformed educational recommendations: practice testing is now recognized as one of the most effective learning strategies.
Roediger also conducted influential research on false memories using the DRM (Deese-Roediger-McDermott) paradigm. When people study lists of words associated with a non-presented "lure" word (e.g., bed, rest, awake, tired, dream — but not "sleep"), they frequently and confidently "remember" the lure word. This demonstrates that memory is constructive and that false memories can feel as real and vivid as true memories — with important implications for understanding eyewitness testimony, source monitoring, and the reliability of memory in legal and clinical contexts.