Retrieval failure

• Encoding specificity principle


  A cue being present during learning and retrieval process of information can help trigger the recall of information. If the cues are different during either learning or recall, then it can lead to forgetting
• Context dependent forgetting

  Cues can be external eg objects and rooms which are encoded alongside the learning of information and can trigger information at point of recall.

  if there is a difference in the cue during recall, then context dependent forgetting may occur
• Godden and Baddeley procedure

  4 groups of divers (18 in total) had to learn a lost of 36 unrelated words either underwater or on land and then recall those words either underwater or on land.
• godden and baddeley findings

  -when the environmental context of learning and recall were the same, participants had produced better recall

  -when environmental context during learning and recall were different, participants had produced worse recall thus retrieval failure
• Godden and baddeley conclusion

  memory is better when context for retrieval and learning are consistent since context is encoded alongside the learning of information
• State dependent forgetting

  Cues can be internal such as physiological state which are encoded alongside the learning of information and can trigger info at the point of recall.

  if there is a difference in cue during point of recall, then state dependent forgetting can occur
• Goodwin et al procedure

  male participants had to learn a list of words either drunk or sober and then recall the list of words either drunk or sober
• Goodwin et al findings

  Participants in the same physiological state for learning and retrieval had higher recall
• Goodwin et al conclusion

  if physiological states are different for either learning or recall, it can lead to forgetting