Forgetting - Retrieval Failure↔↕ Flashcards
Retrieval failure (Cue dependant forgetting)
When information is stored in memory, assiciated cue are stored at the same time.
State dependant failure
The cues at the time of learning are now absent
Context-dependent forgetting
When external environmental cues are now absent that were present at the time of learning
Godden and Baddely
P- evidence for context-dependent forgetting
e- divers asked to learn a list of words either on land or on water. Results show that the highest recall occurred by those recalled and tested in the same environment
e - means forgetting occurs when the context of learning differs the context of recall
l- suggests the external environment provides recall aids
Tulving and Pearlstone
P- evidence for cue dependent forgetting
e - p’s asked to learn 45 words belonging to 12 categories. 1 cond- free recall of all the words remembered, 2 cond- given category as a cue
results show 40% recall in cond 1, 60% recall in cond 2
e - forgetting is likely to occur if there are no cues
l- credits retrieval failure
limitations
highly controlled- unusual setting eg underwater may not apply to everyday examples of forgetting and memory
lacks ecological validity
Goodwin- used only male p’s - cannot be generalised to female as well - androcentric bias
supporting
real-world application eg in eyewitness testimony, recalling incidents of crimes. cognitive interview enforces the idea of ‘reinstating the context’ to improve the accuracy of EWT
Goodwin et al
P - evidence of state-dependent forgetting
e - male p’s were asked to learn words when they were either drunk or sober, a day later they recalled the list of words. Had 4 conditions = either in the same context of learning and recalling or different context when learning and recalling
results were high in the same psychological and physical state as learning.
e - shows our state can act as a cue for recalling info
l- credit to retrieval failure
