2.3.2 Retrieval failures: Cue and state dependant

Question 1

What is retrieval failure?

Answer 1

This is a type of forgetting that occurs in long-term memory (LTM).

Question 2

What is cue-dependent retrieval failure?

Answer 2

This happens when you cannot access a memory in LTM as there are no cues to help you. Retrieval occurs at the point of ‘finding’ the memory; the context should help you to do this so if the context is not there then the memory is difficult to locate

Question 3

Research support for cue-dependant retrieval failure?

Answer 3

/Tulving et al (1983) - recall for six-word lists was higher when participants knew the categories (e.g. animals) in advance
/Baddeley and Godden (1975) - deep sea divers who learnt material on a) land or b) underwater recalled that material better when recalling it a) on land or b) underwater i.e. the same context for both learning and recall provided the necessary memory cues

Question 4

Evaluation of cue dependent retrieval failure?

Answer 4

/Tulving et al (1983) - this is a reductionist approach to a complex phenomenon i.e. learning word lists does not take into account the array of variables present in everyday cue-dependent recall
/Baddeley and Godden (1975) - the use of two extremes (dry land versus underwater) provides two very different contexts but real life does not reflect this e.g. learning psychology in a classroom is not hugely different to recalling it in an exam room

Question 5

What is state-dependent retrieval failure?

Answer 5

People find it easier to recall information if they are in the same emotional and/or physical state as they were when they originally learnt it.

Question 6

Research support for state-dependent retrieval failure?

Answer 6

/Goodwin et al (1975) - participants who learnt information when drunk was more easily recalled this information the next day if they were drunk rather than sober
/Carter and Cassaday (1998) - performance on a test was best when participants had both learned and recalled information when in a drowsy state induced by an anti-histamine drug

Question 7

Evaluation of state-dependent retrieval failure?

Answer 7

/Goodwin et al (1975) - there are ethical concerns about encouraging participants to get drunk which means that this study could not be replicated today
/Carter and Cassaday (1998) - performance on the test could have been the result of individual differences in IQ rather than being state-dependent