1. Getting you thinking: Take out your Interference Theory Evaluation Sheet and compare your notes to those of your neighbour. Also be ready to hand in your Assessment 2 if you haven’t done so already

2. Forgetting: Retrieval Failure Cognitive Psychology Memory

3. Learning objectives By the end of this lesson you will be able: To explain the theory of Retrieval Failure To differentiate between context-dependent and state-dependent forgetting To effectively outline and explain research into retrieval failure

4. You are in the hall, downstairs, and you think of something that you need from your bedroom. You go up there, only to find that you then have no idea what it was that you went up for. You go back downstairs and you then remember what you needed! WHY IS THIS? Extension: What other similar examples of this can you suggest?

5. Retrieval Failure This theory explains forgetting from LTM as retrieval failure: the info is stored in LTM but cannot be accessed. Forgetting, according to this theory, is due to lack of cues.

6. Encoding Specificity Principle Memory is most effective when information present at encoding is also available at retrieval. Cues may meaningfully link to the information, or they may not be meaningfully linked

7. Cues can be meaningfully linked, for example, seeing a red light on the car dashboard. Context-dependent Environmental cues Your own examples? (Godden & Baddeley (1975)) State-dependent Mental state Your own examples? (Goodwin et al (1969))

8. Research into Retrieval Failure 3 groups: Tulving & Pearlstone, Abernethy, Goodwin. Each group to make notes about their allocated piece of research. One student to remain with their ‘stall’, whilst others visit each of the other ‘stalls’ to exchange information – taking brief notes

9. Plan a response to the following exam question Martin is studying for his modern language exams, He revises French followed by Spanish on the same night and then gets confused between the two: for example, he remembers the French word for ‘chair’ instead of the Spanish word for ‘chair’. Sometimes his mum helps to test Martin’s vocabulary. When he is unable to remember a word, his mum tells him the first letter, then he can often recall it correctly. Discuss two explanations for forgetting. Refer to Martin’s experiences in your answer. (12 marks)

10. Learning objectives Are you now able to do the following? Explain the theory of Retrieval Failure Differentiate between context-dependent and state-dependent forgetting Effectively outline and explain research into retrieval failure

11. Homework Due next lesson: Make notes about 5 evaluation points relating to interference theory to put in your folder. You will find material on p55 of your text book. DO NOT SLAVISHLY COPY OUT THE WORDING FROM THE TEXT BOOK! MAKING NOTES IN YOUR OWN WORDS WILL DEEPEN YOUR PROCESSING OF THE INFORMATION AND HELP YOU TO LEARN IT. IN OTHER WORDS – APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT ABOUT IMPROVING MEMORY – MAKE REVISION EASIER FOR YOURSELF!