Retreival Failure

Question 1

What us retrieval failure

Answer 1

Forgetting information due to the absence of cues; the information is available but not accessible

Question 2

Define the encoding specificity principle (ESP)

Answer 2

Cues at learning must be present at retrieval to aid memory

Question 3

Name the two types of retrieval failure

Answer 3

1. State-dependent forgetting
2. Contact-dependent forgetting

Question 4

What is context-dependent forgetting

Answer 4

Memory is more effective if the external environment is the same at learning and recall

Question 5

What is state-dependent forgetting

Answer 5

Memory is more effective if your internal state is the same at learning or recall

Question 6

Outline the research support for context-dependent forgetting- include the researchers, procedure and findings

Answer 6

Godden and Baddeley (1975)- deep sea divers:
- deep sea divers learned a list of words either underwater or on land and then asked to recall the words either underwater or on land, creating four conditions:
1. Learn on land- recall on land
2. Learn on land- recall underwater
3. Learn underwater- recall underwater
4. Learn underwater- recall on land
- recall was 40% lower in non-matching conditions as the external cues available at learning were different from the ones at recall= retrieval failure

Question 7

Outline the research support for state-dependent forgetting- include the researchers, procedure and findings

Answer 7

Carter and Cassaday (1998) antihistamines:
- participants were given antihistamine drug making them drowsy
- participants had to learn lists of words and passages of prose and then recall info, creating four conditions:
1. Learn on drug- recall on drug
2. Learn on drug- recall off drug
3. Learn off drug- recall off drug
4. Learn off drug- recall on drug
- recall was significantly worse in conditions where there was a mismatch between internal state at learning and recall

Question 8

Outline the research support for the ESP- include the researchers, procedure and findings

Answer 8

Tulving and Pearlstone (1966):
- participants had to learn a list of 48 words belonging to categories
- asked to recall the words in one of 2 conditions
1. Free recall- not given categories
2. Cued recall- given categories
- participants in free recall condition recalled 40% of words, whereas participants in cued recall recalled 60% of words