What is the term for memorizing information by simply repeating it without further analysis?

The term that refers to memorizing information by simply repeating it without further analysis is shallow processing. This type of cognitive processing involves focusing on superficial characteristics of the information, such as its sound or appearance, rather than its meaning or relationships to other concepts.

Shallow processing typically leads to a weaker retention of the information compared to deeper processing methods, which involve more thoughtful engagement with the material. For example, while someone engaging in shallow processing might memorize a list of words by repeating them over and over, someone using deep processing would think about how the words are related to each other or how they connect to their prior knowledge.

Other options like maintenance rehearsal focus specifically on the repetition aspect of memory retention but do so without evaluating the information’s meaning, whereas deep processing and chunking require more cognitive effort and result in better long-term memory retention.