Retrieval failure theory Flashcards
Retrieval failure theory
A type of forgetting based upon a failure to retrieve the prompts that trigger recall (cues).
Encoding Specificity Principle (ESP)
Tulving (1983) if a cue is to help us recall information it has to be present at coding and at retrieval. Therefore, if the cues available at encoding and retrieval are different there will be some forgetting.
Context-dependent failure
A form of cue-dependent failure where recall occurs in a different external setting to coding.
Research: Context – dependent Failure
Godden & Baddeley (1975) divers learned material either on dry land or underwater.
The study consisted of deep-sea divers learning a list of words and recalling these words in 4 conditions:
* Learn on land, recall on land.
* Learn underwater, recall on land.
* Learn on land, recall underwater.
* Learn underwater, recall underwater.
Accurate recall was 40% lower in non-matching conditions and the experimenters concluded that the external cues available at learning were different from the ones available at recall and this led to retrieval failure
State-dependent Failure
This is a form of retrieval failure where recall occurs in a different internal setting to coding.
Occurs with internal retrieval cues, with forgetting occurring when an individual’s internal environment is dissimilar at recall to when information was coded.
Hoine, Bremer and Stern (1969) tested participants performance on a test when intoxicated and sober and concluded that if the state was the same at coding and recall, students did well.
Evaluation: Supporting Evidence
Research supports retrieval failure to explain forgetting e.g., Eysenck (2010) argues retrieval failure is the main reason for forgetting in the LTM.
Evaluation: Questioning Context Effect
Baddeley (1997) argues that context effects are actually not very strong – especially in real life.
Evaluation: Recall vs Recognition
It differs between recall and recognition: retrieval failure is less of an issue for recognition.
