Final answer:
Repeating information to oneself, either silently or out loud, is called rote rehearsal, which aids in moving information into long-term memory. Elaborative rehearsal, which involves making connections with existing knowledge, leads to deeper processing and better retention.
Step-by-step explanation:
Talking to yourself over and over again, repeating information silently or out loud, is called rote rehearsal. This is a basic mechanism for retaining information by repetition, helping to move information from short-term memory to long-term memory. Elaborative rehearsal, on the other hand, involves thinking about the meaning of the new information and its relation to knowledge already stored in your memory. By linking new information to existing knowledge or creating associations, elaborative rehearsal leads to deeper processing and better memory retention, supported by the levels of processing theory proposed by Craik and Lockhart (1972).
In contrast, declarative memory is the type of long-term memory of facts and events we personally experience, and semantic memory is a subtype of declarative memory related to knowledge of words, concepts, and language-based knowledge and facts. Repeating information does not build the same depth of connection between new knowledge and existing memory structures that elaborative rehearsal does, and it is less likely to contribute to long-term retention as effectively.