Forgetting - Retrieval Failure

Question 1

what’s the encoding principle?

Answer 1

The greater the similarity between the encoding event and the retrieval event, the greater the likelihood of recalling the original memory.

Question 2

tulving et al 1973
- how is memory encoded
- how are memories interwined
- cues

Answer 2

All memories are encoded with information from the environment → schematic memory
These memories are intertwined in the brain, you can’t access one without ‘pulling’ on the others.
Cues enable us to remember by helping to retrieve the schema
The fewer cues, the more likely we’ll fail to retrieve memories

Question 3

what are the types of cues?

Answer 3

Context dependent cues and State dependent cues

Question 4

what are Context dependent cues

Answer 4

Being at a different place at recall may inhibit memory (internal)

Question 5

what are State dependent cues

Answer 5

Being in a different mood/state of arousal may inhibit memory (external)

Question 6

what study is Context dependent forgetting

Answer 6

• Godden and Baddeley (1975)

Question 7

what study is State dependent forgetting

Answer 7

• Goodwin et Al. (1969)

Question 8

Godden and Baddeley (1975)

Answer 8

Scuba divers were given a list of words to either learn in water or on land
They were then asked to recall the words learnt both in water and on land, regardless of where they were learnt
It was found that recall was significantly better in its original context

Question 9

Goodwin et Al. (1969)

Answer 9

Male volunteers were given a list of words to learn either at 3 times the national drink-drive limit or sober
They were then asked to recall the words after 24 hours (participants were randomly assigned to drunk/sober)
Recall was up to 2x better in the original state