explanations for forgetting - retrieval failure Flashcards
describe retrieval failure
- forget due to insufficient cues
- cannot access memories
describe tulving’s research (1983)
- reviewed research into retrieval failure & discovered consistent pattern
- summarised the pattern = encoding specificity principle
what does the encoding specificity principle state
that a cue has to be both:
- present at encoding (when material is learnt)
- present at retrieval (recalling it)
–> if cues at encoding/retrieval are diff./absent, some forgetting will occur
2 examples of non-meaningful cues
- context-dependent forgetting = recall depends on external cue
- state-dependent forgetting = recall depends on internal cue
describe procedure for research on context-dependent forgetting
= baddeley & godden (1975)
- studied deep-sea divers who worked underwater to see if training on land helped/hindered their work underwater
- 4 conditions:
1. learn & recall - land
2. learn & recall - sea
3. learn on land & recall underwater
4. learn underwater & recall on land
describe findings/conclusions for research on context-dependent forgetting
- in 2 of these conditions the environmental contexts of learning/recall matched
- in non-matching conditions, recall was 40% lower
- concluded = external cues available at learning were different from the ones available at recall which led to retrieval failure
describe procedure for research on state-dependent forgetting
–> carter & cassaday (1998)
- gave antihistamine drugs to ppts.
- anithistamines had mild sedative effect making ppts. slightly drowsy
- creates internal psychological state diff. from ‘normal’ state of being awake & alert
- ppts. had to learn list of words/passages of prose & recall info
4 conditions:
1. learn & recall - drug
2. learn & recall - not on drug
3. learn on drug & recall not on drug
4. learn not on drug & recall on drug
describe findings/conclusion for research on state-dependent forgetting
- in conditions with a mismatch between internal state at learning v. recall, performance on memory test was significantly worse
conc. = when cues are absent, there is more forgetting
evaluation of explanations for forgetting - retrieval failure AO3
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P: real world application - retrieval cues can help forgetting in everyday situations
E: (although cues may not have a strong effect on forgetting) baddeley suggests they are worth paying attention to. eg. when you need something from another room, you reach the room & forget but when you return to the original room you remember.
T: shows research can remind us of strategies we use in everyday life to improve recall
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P: research support for retrieval failure
E: eg. studies by baddeley & godden as well as carter & cassaday show how a lack of relevant cues at recall can lead to context or state dependent forgetting. also, memory researchers eysenck & keane (2010) argue retrieval failure is possibly the main reason for forgetting from LTM
T: evidence shows how retrieval failure occurs in real-life as well as controlled lab conditions
-) COUNTERPOINT
P: baddeley (1996) argues context effects are not very strong - esp. in everyday life - diff. contexts must be very diff. before an effect is seen
E: eg. it would be hard to find an environment as different from land is to underwater (baddeley & godden). in contrast, learning something in 1 room & recalling in another is unlikely to result in much forgetting as these environments are not that diff.
T: means retrieval failure due to lack of contextual cues may not explain much everyday forgetting
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P: context effects may depend on type of memory being tested
E: godden & baddeley (1980) replicated underwater experiment but used recognition test NOT recall - say whether they recognised word read from list. when recognition was tested, there was no context-dependent effect & performance was same in all 4 conditions.
T: suggests retrieval failure is a limited explanation for forgetting as only applies when person has to recall info not recognise.
