Which technique allows you to enhance memory by relating the new information to existing knowledge?

The technique that enhances memory by relating new information to existing knowledge is elaborative rehearsal. This method involves actively making connections between new information and information you already know, which helps to encode the new information more effectively into long-term memory. By linking new concepts to familiar ones, you create a richer and more meaningful understanding of the material, which facilitates recall.

For example, if you are trying to remember a new person's name, you might relate it to someone you already know with the same name or associate it with a particular characteristic or context. This relational aspect is crucial, as it makes the new information more memorable.

Other techniques mentioned, such as maintenance rehearsal, focus on repetition of information without making connections to existing knowledge, which is less effective for long-term retention. Priming refers to the unconscious activation of particular associations in memory, while retrospective memory concerns the recall of past events rather than the active engagement required in elaborative rehearsal.