12. Explanations For Forgetting: Retrieval Failure AO3

Question 1

Name two strengths of retrieval failure as an explanation for forgetting

Answer 1

• impressive range of supporting evidence

- context related cues have useful everyday applications

Question 2

Give an example of supporting evidence for retrieval failure

Answer 2

Godden and Baddeley- deep sea divers

Question 3

Why is supporting evidence a strength of this explanation

Answer 3

Increases validity of explanation - especially when conducted in real-life situations - as well as highly controlled conditions of the lab

Question 4

Give an example of a context related cue

Answer 4

People often report these experiences - they were upstairs and went downstairs and forgot what for - they go back up and remember again

Question 5

What is the main application to everyday life from context relates cues

Answer 5

When we have trouble remembering something it’s probably work making the effort to revisit the environment it was experienced in

Question 6

What explanation can we link context related cues to

Answer 6

It’s a basic principle of the cognitive interview - context reinstatement

Question 7

Name a limitation of retrieval failure

Answer 7

Context effects are actually not very strong in real life

Baddeley argued contexts have to be very different before an effect is seen - e.g. Land and water

Learning something in one room and recalling in another isn’t likely to cause a large result because environments aren’t different enough

Question 8

What can we conclude from context effects not being very stron

Answer 8

Real life applications of retrieval failure due to contextual cues don’t actually explain much about forgetting