Linking new information with existing memories is known as what?

Linking new information with existing memories is best described as elaborative rehearsal. This process involves taking new information and relating it to what is already known, enabling deeper integration of that information into long-term memory. By actively making connections and associations between new data and prior knowledge, one enhances understanding and retention.

Elaborative rehearsal goes beyond mere repetition of information; it encourages meaningful engagement with the material. This deepens cognitive processing and helps encode information vividly and contextually, making retrieval easier later on. This is especially effective in educational settings, where understanding concepts is more beneficial than rote memorization.

Other concepts mentioned, such as prior knowledge, contextualizing, and deep processing, relate to the overall cognitive processes involved in learning, but they do not specifically describe the act of linking new information with existing memories in the same targeted way that elaborative rehearsal does.