MEMORY - explanations for forgetting: retrieval failure

Question 1

who proposed retrieval failure as an explanation for forgetting?

Answer 1

• TULVING (1983)

Question 2

what did TULVING propose in relation to retrieval failure? and what does it mean?

Answer 2

• encoding specificity principle
• if cues are to aid in learning, then they must be present at both the time of learning and encoding
• if not present at retrieval, there will be some forgetting

Question 3

what are 2 forms of forgetting, in relation to cues?

Answer 3

• context-dependant forgetting

- state-dependant forgetting

Question 4

describe the study involving context-dependant foregttng:

Answer 4

• GODDEN and BADDELEY
• divers were asked to learn words both on land and in water
• then asked to recall the words both in the same context and different context
• recall rates were 40% lower in non-matching conditions

Question 5

describe the study involving state-dependant forgetting:

Answer 5

• CARTER and CASSIDY
• participants were asked to learn words both on anti-histamine drugs and when sober
• then asked to recall the words both in the same state and different state
• significantly lower recall rates when in non-matching states

Question 6

EVALUATION

what does BADDELEY say? and how does this relate to retrieval failure?

Answer 6

• argues that context-dependant effects are not strong
• the study showed extreme context differences which are not present in actual life
• limitation as it reduces the study and thus the theory’s application to real life

Question 7

EVALUATION

what does GODDEN and BADDELEY do? and how does this relate to retrieval failure?

Answer 7

• repeated their study with ‘recognition’ rather than ‘recall’ memory tests
• found that there was no context-dependant forgetting
• therefore an incomplete theory as it does not cover all forms of memory

Question 8

EVALUATION

what does BADDELEY say? and how does this relate to retrieval failure?

Answer 8

• suggests there are actual real-life applications for encoding specificity principle
• basis for the cognitive interview which a main component is ‘reinstate the context’
• strength as it applies to real-life cases that have proved successful