Explanations for forgetting - Retrieval failure Flashcards
What is state-dependent forgetting?
State-dependent forgetting recall is dependent on the internal cue - state of mind (upset, happy)
What is context-dependent forgetting?
Context-dependent forgetting recall is dependent on the external/environmental cue (weather or place)
Define cue
A trigger of information that allows us to access a memory.
Define retrieval failure
A form of forgetting. It occurs when we dont have the neccessary cues to access a memory.
What did Tulving and Thompson propose and what was it?
Tulving and Thompson (1973) proposed the encoding specificity principle. They said:
“Memory is most effective if the information that is present at learning is also present at the time of retrieval.”
Therefore, the more cues a person is exposed to, whether environmental or mental, the more likely they are to remember.
Describe the study of Godden and Baddeley on context-dependent forgetting
Aims and Procedure:
Looked at how external cues affected recall.
Deep-sea divers:
Learned a list of words underwater or on land
Then has to recall the words on either water or land.
There were four conditions
1: Learn on land - recall on land
2: Learn on land - recall underwater
3: Learn underwater - recall on land
4: Learn underwater - recall underwater.
What were the findings and conclusions of Godden and Baddeley?
Findings and Conclusions:
When environmental contexts of learning and recall did not match (conditions 2&3) - accurate recall was 40% lower.
When external cues available at the time of learning are not present at the time of recall it lead to RETRIEVAL FAILURE.
What are the evaluations?
Range of research that supports the retrieval failure explanation, (counterpoint) Baddeley argues that context effects are actually not very strong, especially in everyday life, Retrieval cues help to overcome some forgetting in everyday situations , context effects may depend substantially on the type of memory being tested
Evaluation:Impressive range of research that supports the retrieval failure explanation.
One strength is the impressive range of resaerch that supports the retrieval failure explaination. The studies by Godden and Baddeley and Carter and Cassaday are just two examples because they show that a lack of relevevant cues at recall can lead to context-dependent and state-dependent forgetting in everyday life. Memeory researchers Eysenck and Keane argue that retrieval failure is perhaps the main reson for forgetting from the LTM. This evidence shows that retrieval failure occurs in real-world situations as well as in the highly controlled conditions of the lab.
Evaluation: (counterpoint) Baddeley argues that context affects are actually not very strong especially in everyday life
Baddeley argues that context affects are actually not very strong especially in everyday life. Different contexts have to be very different indeed before an effect is seen. For exmaple, it would be hard to find an environment as different from land as underwater. In contrast, learning something in one room and recalling it in another is unlikely to result in much forgetting because these environments are not different enough. This means that retrieval failure due to lack of contextual cues may not actually explain much everyday forgetting.
Evaluation: Retrieval cues can help overcome some forgetting in everyday situations
One strength is that retrieval cues can help overcome some forgetting in everyday situations. Although cues may not have a very strong effect on forgetting. Baddeley sugguests they are still worth paying attention to. For instance, we have probably all had the experience of being in one room and thinking ‘I must go and get something from another room.’ You go to the other room only to forget what it was you wanted. But the moment you go back to the first room, you remember again. When we have trouble remembering something, it is probably worth making the affort to recall the environment in which you learned it first. This shows how research can remind us of strategies we use in the real world to improve our recall.
Evaluation: Context effects may depend substantially on the type of memory being tested.
One limitation is that context effects may depend substantially on the type of memory being tested. Godden and Baddeley replicated their underwater experiment but used a recognition test instead of recall - participants had to say whether they recognised a words read to them from a list, instead of retrieving it for themselves. When recognition was tested there was no context-dependent effect, performance was the same in all four conditions. This sugguests that retrieval failure is a limited explanation for forgetting because it only applies when a person has to recall information rather than recognise it.
