Forgetting - Proactive/Retroactive Retrieval failure

• Retrieval failure

  A form of forgetting when the necessary cues to access memory aren't present. The memory is available but not accessible unless a suitable cue is provided.
• When information is initially stored, the associated cues are also stored at the same time.
• Cue


  A trigger of information that allows us to access a memory. They may be external or internal.
• Context-dependent forgetting


  Forgetting that occurs when the external context at recall is different from the context at learning.
• Godden and Baddeley (1975) study on deep sea divers


  1. Divers learnt a list of words either underwater or on land and then had to recall these words either underwater or on land, creating 4 conditions.

  2. In non-matching conditions (where the learning and recall contexts did not match), accurate recall was 40% lower.
• The external cues available at learning were different from the ones at recall, which caused retrieval failure.
• State-dependent forgetting


  Forgetting that occurs when the internal state (e.g. drug effects) at recall is different from the state at learning.
• Carter and Cassaday (1988) study on antihistamine drugs


  1. Participants learnt a list of words and a passage of prose, and then had to recall the information. There were 4 conditions where the internal state (drug effects) at learning and recall were matched or mismatched.

  2. In the mismatched conditions, performance was worse.
• Forgetting


  Can occur due to interference or retrieval failure
• Proactive interference


  • Old information stored in Long term memory interferes with the learning of new information
  • Usually occurs when the new information is similar to the old information
  • Example: Trying to remember a new mobile phone number and your memory of your old phone number disrupts your attempts to remember this new information
• Retroactive interference

  • The learning of new information interferes with the recall of old information from long term memory
  • Example: Once you have learned a new mobile number, it is often very difficult to recall your old phone number
• Retrieval failure


  • An explanation for forgetting long term memory
  • Refers to difficulties in recall that are due to the absence of the correct retrieval cues or triggers