Retrieval failure theory

• What is the main reason for retrieval failure according to the study material?

  It occurs when the cues available at retrieval are different from those present at the time of learning.
• What does the encoding specificity principle (ESP) state?

  If a cue is to help us recall information, the cues available at encoding and retrieval must match.
• How does the absence of cues at retrieval affect memory recall?

  It leads to forgetting because the cues that were present during encoding are not available.
• What are the two types of forgetting discussed in the study material?

  • Context-dependent forgetting (external cues)
  • State-dependent forgetting (internal cues)
• Who conducted the study on context-dependent forgetting with deep-sea divers?

  Duncan Godden and Alan Baddeley
• What was the procedure of the study conducted by Godden and Baddeley?

  Divers learned a list of words either underwater or on land and then recalled them in the same or different environment.
• What were the findings of the study on context-dependent forgetting?

  Accurate recall was 40% lower in non-matching conditions compared to matching conditions.
• What type of drug was used in the study on state-dependent forgetting?

  Anti-histamine drugs
• How did the anti-histamine drugs affect the participants in the study by Carter and Cassaday?

  They created a mild sedative effect, making participants slightly drowsy.
• What were the four conditions created in the study on state-dependent forgetting?

  Learn on drug-recall on drug, learn on drug-recall not on drug, learn not on drug-recall on drug, learn not on drug-recall not on drug.
• What were the findings of the study on state-dependent forgetting?


  Performance on the memory test was significantly worse when there was a mismatch between internal state at learning and recall.
• What is the relationship between cues and memory recall?

  • Cues present at encoding must match those at retrieval for effective recall.
  • Absence of cues leads to increased forgetting.