explanations for forgetting ~ retrieval failure

Question 1

retrieval failure definition

Answer 1

a form of forgetting, occurs when we do not have the necessary cues to access memory. the memory is available but not accessible unless a suitable cue is provided

Question 2

when are associated cues stored

Answer 2

when in information is initially places in the memory

Question 3

what happens if cues are not available on recall

Answer 3

it may appear that the information has been forgotten due to retrieval failure where we cannot access the memories that are there

Question 4

a reason people forget

Answer 4

insufficient cues

Question 5

cue definition

Answer 5

a trigger of information that allows us to access a memory. such cues may be meaningful or may indirectly linked by being encoded at the time of learning. indirect cues may be external or internal

Question 6

who did research into retrieval failure

Answer 6

Tulving

Question 7

when did Tulving do research into retrieval failure

Answer 7

1983

Question 8

what did Tulving find when reviewing research into retrieval failure

Answer 8

a consistent pattern of findings which he summarised into encoding specificity principle

Question 9

encoding specificity principle

Answer 9

a cue (if going to be helpful) has to be both present at encoding and retrieval

Question 10

what happens of cues are different or absent at encoding or retrieval

Answer 10

there will be some forgetting

Question 11

how are some cues encoded

Answer 11

at the time of learning in a meaningful way

Question 12

what are some cues used in

Answer 12

mnemonic techniques

Question 13

non-meaningful cues

Answer 13

cues encoded at time of learning but not in a meaningful way

Question 14

2 types of non-meaningful cues

Answer 14

-context-dependent forgetting
-state-dependent forgetting

Question 15

context-dependent forgetting

Answer 15

recall depends on external cue

Question 16

state-dependent forgetting

Answer 16

recall depends on internal cue

Question 17

who did research into context-dependent forgetting

Answer 17

Godden and Baddeley

Question 18

when did Godden and Baddeley do research on context-dependent forgetting

Answer 18

1975

Question 19

Godden and Baddeley research on context-dependent forgetting procedure

Answer 19

studied deep sea divers to see if training on land helped or hindered their work underwater. the divers leaned a list of words either underwater or on land and then asked to recall the words either under water or on land, there were 4 conditions

Question 20

what were the 4 conditions on Godden and Baddeley research on context-dependent forgetting procedure

Answer 20

-learn on land, recall on land
-learn on land, recall underwater
-learn underwater, recall on land
-learn underwater, recall underwater

Question 21

Godden and Baddeley research on context-dependent forgetting findings

Answer 21

-in 2 conditions environmental contexts of learning and recall were matched and on 2 they were not
-accurate recall was 40% lower in non-matching conditions

Question 22

Godden and Baddeley research on context-dependent forgetting conclusions

Answer 22

if external cues available at learning were different at recall it lead to retrieval failure

Question 23

who did research on state-dependent forgetting

Answer 23

Carter and Cassaday

Question 24

when did Carter and Cassaday do research on state-dependent forgetting

Answer 24

1998

Question 25

Carter and Cassaday do research on state-dependent forgetting procedure

Answer 25

gave antihistamine drugs to participants which had a mild seductive effect, making participant slightly drowsy. this creates a different psychological state from normal state of being awake and alert. the participants had to learn a list of words and passages of prose then recall information. there were 4 conditions

Question 26

what were the 4 conditions Carter and Cassaday do research on state-dependent forgetting procedure

Answer 26

-learn on drug, recall on drug
-learn on drug, recall not on drug
-learn not on drug, recall on drug
-learn not on drug, recall not on drug

Question 27

Carter and Cassaday do research on state-dependent forgetting findings

Answer 27

in conditions where there was a mismatch between internal state at learning and recall, performance on the memory test was significantly worse

Question 28

Carter and Cassaday do research on state-dependent forgetting conclusion

Answer 28

when cues are absent there is more forgetting

Question 29

strength for retrieval failure as an explanation for forgetting - real world application

Answer 29

-retrieval cues can help to overcome forgetting in everyday situations
-although cues may not have a very strong effect on forgetting Baddeley suggests they are woth paying attention to. for example when having trouble remembering it is good to recall in environment in which you first learned it –> research can remind us of strategies we use in real world to improve recall

Question 30

strength for retrieval failure as an explanation for forgetting - research support

Answer 30

-range of research supports retrieval failure explanation
-studies by Godden and Baddeley, Carter and Cassaday are just 2 examples showing that lack of relevant cues at recall can lead to context-dependent and state-dependent forgetting in everyday life. Eyserick and Keane argue retrieval failure is main reason for forgetting from LTM –> evidence shows retrieval failure occurs in real-world situations as well as in highly controlled lab settings

Question 31

limitation for retrieval failure as an explanation for forgetting - counterpoint to research support

Answer 31

-Baddeley argues that context effects are not very strong, especially in everyday life
-different contexts have to be very different before an effect is seen (hard to find something as different as land and water), in contrast learning something in one room and recalling in another does not likely cause forgetting as environments are not different enough
-means that retrieval failure due to lack of contextual cues may not actually explain much everyday forgetting

Question 32

limitation for retrieval failure as an explanation for forgetting - recall vs recognition

Answer 32

-context effects may depend on type of memory being tested
-Godden and Baddeley (1980) replicated their underwater experiment but used a recognition test instead of recall (participants had to say id they recognised word from a list instead of retrieving for themselves). when recognition was tested there was no context-dependent forgetting as performance was the same in all conditions –> suggests retrieval failure is a limited explanation for forgetting as only applies to recall not recognition

Question 33

evaluation for retrieval failure as an explanation for forgetting - problems with ESP

Answer 33

s- a lot of evidence that forgetting takes place when there is a mismatch/absence of encoding and retrieval cues
l-however, is it possible to independently establish if a cue has been encoded or not. the reasoning is circular and based on assumptions in an experiment if the cue did not produce recall we assume it cannot have been encoded, if cue produced recall we assume it must be encoded