Explanations For Forgetting: Retrieval Failure

Question 1

What is retrieval failure?

Answer 1

Forgetting because lack of cues

Question 2

What does the retrieval theory consist of?

Answer 2

Encoding specificity principle
Context-dependent forgetting
State-dependent forgetting

Question 3

Encoding specificity principle

Answer 3

Tulving; cues most effective if present at coding and retrieval

Question 4

Context-dependant forgetting

Answer 4

Godden and Baddeley- life or death situation for divers to remember instructions given before diving about work underwater.
Learn on land- reacall on land
Learn on land- recall underwater etc etc
= Recall 40% lower in non-matching conditions

Question 5

State-dependent forgetting

Answer 5

Anti-histamines given to participants which has a mild sedative effect. Creates different internal psychological state than being awake and alert.
Learn on drug- recall on it
Learn on it- not recall on it etc etc
= Memory performance worse when mismatch between internal state

Question 6

Evaluation for retrieval failure

Answer 6

Supporting evidence- good external validity
Questioning context effects- IRL not so contrasting e.g sea and land
Recall versus recognition
RL application

Question 7

What is a cue?

Answer 7

Trigger of info that allows us access to a memory. These may be meaningful or be indirectly linked by being encoded at time of learning.