Psychology: Retrieval and Memory

owed that testing improved performance, while cessation of studying did not affect performance.Retrieval Cues

• Retrieval cues are words or stimuli that help us remember information stored in memory.

  The concept of retrieval cues is based on the idea that memory is not a fixed store of information, but rather a dynamic process that involves the active retrieval of information from memory.

  Retrieval cues can take many forms, including visual, auditory, or kinesthetic stimuli.

• There are two types of recall: free recall and cued recall.

  Free recall involves recalling information without any cues or prompts, while cued recall involves recalling information in response to a specific cue or stimulus.

  Research has shown that cued recall is generally more effective than free recall, as it provides a clear and specific prompt for retrieving the information.

• Cued recall results in better recall than free recall, as shown in Tulving and Pearlstone's 1966 study.

  This study found that participants who were given a cue to help them recall information had better recall than those who were not given a cue.

  This suggests that retrieval cues can play a crucial role in improving memory and recall.

Matching Conditions of Encoding and Retrieval

• There are three situations in which retrieval is increased by matching conditions at retrieval to conditions at encoding.

  One of these situations is encoding specificity, which refers to the idea that the context in which information is encoded has a significant impact on its retrieval.

  For example, if you learn a new word in a specific situation, such as during a class lecture, you are more likely to remember it when you encounter a similar situation.

• Encoding specificity: we encode information along with its context, which can aid in recall.

  This means that information is more easily retrieved when the context in which it was encoded is similar to the context in which it is being retrieved.

  This can be seen in the example of Angela who encoded experiences in her grandparents' house and remembered them years later when she returned to the same house.

• Studying in an environment similar to the test environment can improve recall.

  This is because the context in which the information was encoded is similar to the context in which it is being retrieved, making it easier to retrieve.

  This can be particularly helpful in situations where the test environment is unfamiliar or difficult to recall, such as in a foreign language or a new subject area.

State-Dependent Learning

• State-dependent learning is associated with a particular internal state, such as mood or state of awareness.

  This means that the state in which information is encoded can influence its retrieval, and that the state of awareness during encoding can affect the ease with which information is retrieved.

  This is often seen in the context of emotional states, where information is more easily retrieved when a person is in a similar emotional state.

• Memory is better when the internal state during retrieval matches the internal state during encoding.

  This is often referred to as the "state-dependent" hypothesis, and suggests that the state of consciousness or emotional state during encoding plays a significant role in the retrieval of memory.

  This can be seen in the example of Eich and Metcalfe's 1989 study, which found that participants who were in a specific emotional state during encoding performed better in recall when in the same emotional state during retrieval.

Matching the Cognitive Task

• Retrieval is better when the cognitive tasks involved during encoding and retrieval match.

  This is known as transfer-appropriate processing, which suggests that the cognitive operations used during encoding are similar to those used during retrieval.

  This can be seen in the example of Morris et al.'s 1977 study, which found that participants who focused on rhyming during encoding performed better in a rhyming test.