Retrieval failure due to absence of cues Flashcards
(20 cards)
Intro for retreival failure?
Retrieval failure due to absence of cues suggests that forgetting occurs when information is still in the LTM but can’t be accessed due to a lack of memory cues.
What is context dependent forgetting?
-Where forgetting occurs due to a lack of external cues to trigger recall
-Environment is diff at recall to when info was coded making forgetting more likely
-E.g person may forget info when sitting an exam in a diff classroom to when they learned info
Why do people forget due to state dependent forgetting?
Forgetting occurs due to a lack of internal cues to trigger recall
What is different at recall in state dependent forgetting?
A person’s internal physical and/or emotional state is different at recall to when the info was coded making forgetting more likely
Example of state dependent forgetting?
a person may forget a dance routine on stage because when they learned the routine they may have been calm, but on stage they are anxious
RTS context dependent forgetting was conducted by who?
Godden and Baddeley
What did Godden and Baddeley do?
They gave scuba divers a list of words to learn either on land or underwater. They were then asked to recall list in same setting or the opposite
What was found by Godden and Baddeley?
Ppts were more likely to forget the words (40% less accuracy) if tested in the opposite location to where they learned the words
Why does Godden and Baddeley’s research support context depedent forgetting?
It demonstrates that when there’s a lack of external memory cues, forgetting is more likely
RTS state dependent forgetting was conducted by
Goodwin et al
What did Goodwin et al do?
Male volunteers were asked to learn a list of words when wither drunk or sober. They were then asked to recall the words 24 hrs later, in the same state or opposite state
What did Goodwin et al find?
Ppts were more likely to forget the words if tested in the opposite state to which they had learned the words
Why does Goodwin et al’s research support retreival failure?
It demonstrates that when there is a lack of internal memory cues forgetting is more likely
Research into retrieval failure due to absece of cues may lack…
mundane realism
Why does research into retrieval failure lack mundane realism?
Use of artificial tasks such as learning a list of words are often used
Why is it difficult to generalise the findings?
in real life we may be learning much more complex information such as psychological theories, that may not be easily accessed with an internal and external cue
What is a strength of research into retreival failure?
Practical applications
Principles of the theory that forgetting occurs due to…
lack of memory cues has been used to create a technique called the cog interview, known as context reinstatement
Why is research into retreival failure due to an absence of cues an imporant part of applied psychology?
It helps to provide more accurate eyewitness testimonies, which increases credibility
What happens in context reinstatement?
Witnesses to a crime are asked to imagine themselves at the scene of the crime (context), and to imagine how they were feeling (state) when recalling the events, this has been found to be effective in triggering memories as they access internal and external memory cues. Therefore, the research
