forgetting: retrieval

retrieval failure definition

explanation for forgetting from the LTM. It occurs when we dont have the necessary cues to access the memory

retrieval failure key points

• the memory is still stored in the LTM

• it cant be accessed because retrieval cues are absent

• highlights difference between availability and accessibility

encoding

when we learn the information

retrieval

accessing information stored in the LTM back to conscious awareness in STM

context dependent

external cues present at encoding that support with memory of an event

encoding-specificity principle

• by Tulvin

• cue must be present at both encoding and retrieval to be effective, otherwise forgetting will occur

2 main cues that trigger retrieval

• context-dependent cues (external)

• state-dependent cues (internal)

context-dependent forgetting

• forgetting that occurs when the external environment during retrieval is different from the environment during encoding

• environment factors act as external cues

• if you change the physical context between learning and testing, you remove those external cues = making retrieval harder

state-dependent forgetting

• forgetting that occurs when an individuals internal state at retrieval is different from their internal state during encoding

• your physical or mental state act as an internal cue

• if something is learned while in a specific internal state, it’s easier to retrieve it to that same internal state because the cues are matched

divers study

• investigate effects of same cues on memory retrieval

• 18 deep sea divers

• they had to learn and recall lists of 36 unrelated words in 4 different conditions:

• land - land

• land - underwater

• underwater - land

• underwater - underwater

• recall was significantly higher when learning and recalling environments matched

• when environments were not matched = recall was around 40% lower

divers study evaluation

✅ high internal validity = strengthens the findings and allows researchers to confidently establish a direct cause and effect between external cues during encoding vs retrieval AND recall rate

❌ sample bias (uses only sea divers) = limits generalisability because results cannot be reliably assumed to represent the behaviour of diverse populations.

antihistamine study

• investigated the effects of internal states on memory retrieval

• they gave Ps antihistamine drugs which alter the IS

• they were asked to recall a list of words across 4 conditions:

• drug - drug

• drug - placebo

• placebo - drug

• placebo - placebo

• recall was significantly higher when learning and recalling internal states matched

antihistamine study evaluation

✅ high internal validity = strengthens the findings and allows researchers to confidently establish a direct cause and effect between internal cues during encoding vs retrieval AND recall rate.

❌ low ecological validity = limits findings because of its artificial settings that cannot be validly generalised to explain how IS affects memory recall in real life situations