Final answer:
Perceptual sets enhance memory by shaping how we interpret and retain information based on our expectations and prior experiences. Techniques like elaborative rehearsal further improve memory by linking new information to established knowledge within our semantic networks.
Step-by-step explanation:
​Perceptual sets appear to enhance memory by creating a perceptual set or a readiness to perceive, organize and interpret information in a particular way. A perceptual set is an expectation of a particular interpretation based on previous experiences, assumptions, or biases, potentially affecting how new information is perceived and remembered. According to Gestalt theorists, our ability to discriminate among different figures and shapes, known as pattern perception, is influenced by these preemptive assumptions that form our perceptual sets.
Our perceptions are not always a perfect reflection of the real world; instead, they are shaped by various factors including our personalities, past experiences, and expectations. Such factors help to create our perceptual hypotheses, which are educated guesses that we make while interpreting sensory information. These guesses lead to a perceptual set that biases the way we interpret ambiguous figures or situations.