Explanations for forgetting: retrieval failure Flashcards
What is the encoding specificity principle?
Memory is best when information present at coding is present at recall.
What is context-dependant forgetting?
External cues at time of coding do not match those at time of recall.
What research evidence is there for context-dependent forgetting?
(Godden & Baddeley) Recall by deep-sea divers was better in matching conditions e.g. learned on land, recalled on land.
What is state-dependant forgetting?
Internal cues at time of coding do not match those at time of recall.
What research evidence is there for state-dependent forgetting?
Goodwin asked male volunteers to remember word lists when drunk or sober. Asked to recall words 24 hours later, when drunk or sober. Recall in same state was better - suggesting info is more accessible.
(AO3) What is a real world application of retrieval failure?
Improving recall when most needed - exams. Important to be in same state, and preferably same setting. Recall improves when picturing setting that info was coded in.
(AO3) What are 2 methodological issues with the research into state-dependent forgetting?
Experimental design: independent groups. May be due to participant variables - individual differences (IQ). Lacks internal validity.
Volunteer bias: not representative - lacks population validity.
(AO3) What is a key issue with the study into context-dependant forgetting that keeps coming up in memory studies?
Unrealistically dissimilar environments. Not found in real life. Context-dependent may be more effective when environments are particularly different/similar. Nonetheless, difficult to generalise in real life - lack of ecological validity.
(AO3) What is the biggest strength of the retrieval failure theory?
Explains interference effects. Interference effects due to absence of cues. Giving participants cues increases recall by 20% - removes effects of interference. Shows info was available, just not retrieved. Suggests this is a better explanation.
