Retrieval failure

What is retrieval failure?

A form of forgetting which occurs when we do not have the necessary cues to access memory

What is the encoding specificity principle?

Information is more likely to be forgotten if the cues that were present at encoding are absent at retrieval

What are the two types of forgetting that can occur due to retrieval failure?

State-dependent and context-dependent forgetting

What is state dependent forgetting?

Forgetting which occurs because the emotional or physical state at recall is different to that of the time of learning.

What is context dependent forgetting?

When the external and internal environment at encoding is different at recall.

Which study shows support for context-dependent forgetting?

Godden and Baddeley (1975) – deep sea divers

Outline Godden and Baddeley (1975):

• 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 mismatched conditions as the external cues available at learning were different from the ones at recall = retrieval failure

Which study shows support for state - dependent forgetting?

Carter and Cassaday (1998) – anti-histamine

Outline Carter and Cassaday (1998):

• Participants were given anti-histamine drugs making them drowsy

• This creates an internal physiological state different from the ‘normal’ state of being alert and awake

• 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 not on drug → recall when not on it

• 3. Learn on drug → recall when not on it

• 4. Learn not on drug → recall when on it

• Recall was significantly worse in conditions where there was a mismatch between internal state at learning and recall

Outline evidence for the encoding specificity:

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:

• Free recall – not given categories

• Cued recall – given categories

• Participants in free recall condition recalled 40% of words, whereas participants in cued recall recalled 60% of word