Retrieval Failure Theory

• Insufficient cues 


  A reason for forgetting information
• Associated cues 


  Stored at the same time as information is placed in the memory
• What does retrieval failure theory suggest 


  If a failure to retrieve memories, it suggests that the memories are there, but we cannot access them
• What is the encoding specificity principle

  If a cue is going to help us recall information, it needs to be present when we learn and when we retrieve. If the cues are different, some will be forgotten and if the cues are not present, they will again be forgotten. Mnemonic techniques are also used as cues for retrieval (something that is meaningful) and external cues (context dependent) and internal cues (state dependent) are also encoded at the time of learning, so these need to be consistent to be able to remember