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The Serial Position Effect

The serial position effect is a psychological phenomenon that explains how our memory is influenced by the order in which we encounter information. When we are presented with a list, we tend to remember the first items (known as the "primacy effect") and the last items (the "recency effect") better than those in the middle. This happens because the first items have more time to be processed and stored, while the last items are still fresh in our minds. Consequently, when recalling information, we often struggle with details from the middle of the list.

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    The Serial Position Effect is a心理学现象 where people tend to remember the first and last items in a list better than those in the middle. This occurs due to two main effects: the “primacy effect,” where early items are rehearsed and stored in long-term memory, and the “recency effect,” where recent items are still accessible in short-term memory. In everyday situations, like trying to remember names at a party or a shopping list, you're more likely to recall what you heard first or last, while forgetting what's in between.