1. Retrieval Failure Theory of Forgetting

2. Important
You need to know two theories of forgetting! These are different from theories of memory.
Interference Theory
Retrieval Failure

3. Tip of the Tongue Why do you think it happens? To Start…
Have you ever experienced ‘tip of the tongue’ phenomenon?
Or come down the stairs to get something only to completely forget what it was once you get down...
Annoying isn’t it? 
Why do you think it happens?

4. Key Terms…
Retrieval failure – a form of forgetting, occurs when we don’t have the necessary cues to access memory. Memory is available but not accessible unless a suitable cue is provided Cue – a ‘trigger’ of information that allows us to access a memory. Such cues may be meaningful or indirectly linked with coding at time of learning.

5. Cue Dependent
Experiment
You will see a number of things on the screen. In each case, write down the first thing you think of/remember…

6. Cue Dependent

7. What bonjela smells like…
Cue Dependent
What bonjela smells like…

8. Cue Dependent
The taste of…

9. Cue Dependent

10. Cue Dependent

11. Cue Dependent
Feedback

12. Why might these objects help us to recall our memories?
Cue Dependent
Why might these objects help us to recall our memories?

13. Retrieval Failure (Tulving)
Cue Dependent
Retrieval Failure (Tulving)
The reason we forget is due to insufficient cues.
When we encode a new memory we also store information that occurred around it (cues), such as the way we felt or the place we were in. If we cannot remember or recall it, it could be because we are not in a similar situation to when the memory was originally stored.
If the cues are not present when we come to recall then we find it difficult to retrieve the memory. It is not necessarily because we have forgotten it, it’s just that we don’t have the cues to help us to access the memory. It is still available – it’s just a problem with accessing the memory.
‘Encoding Specificity Principle’ (Tulving) = “the greater the similarity between the encoding event and the retrieval event, the greater the likelihood of recalling the original memory.”

14. My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Naming Planets
Cue Dependent
Retrieval Failure (Tulving)
Some cues are linked to material in a meaningful way – a meaningful link or connection to help you remember it.
E.g. Mnemonics: tools to help remember facts or a large amount of information. It can be a song, rhyme, acronym, image, or a phrase to help remember a list of facts in a certain order.
My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Naming Planets

15. Class Experiment 2 Cue Dependent
This is a mini experiment to look at the effects of cue-dependency in memory retrieval

16. Instructions Cue Dependent You will see a number of Countries
Please write down the capital city for each country
Do NOT confer
You MUST conduct this experiment in silence
Ready? Then we’ll begin

17. Cue Dependent
Germany

18. Cue Dependent
Australia

19. Cue Dependent
USA

20. Cue Dependent
Spain

21. Cue Dependent
Netherlands

22. Cue Dependent
Greece

23. Cue Dependent
China

24. Cue Dependent
Japan

25. Cue Dependent
Portugal

26. Instructions Cue Dependent
You will now see the same list of countries but the first letter of each capital city will be given to you as a prompt.
Have another look and see if you can get any more answers.
Make sure you note which ones you were able to get when you had the prompt

27. Cue Dependent
Germany - B

28. Cue Dependent
Australia - C

29. Cue Dependent
USA - W

30. Cue Dependent
Spain - M

31. Cue Dependent
Netherlands - A

32. Cue Dependent
Greece - A

33. Cue Dependent
China - B

34. Cue Dependent
Japan - T

35. Cue Dependent
Portugal - L

36. Now check your answers... Germany – Berlin Australia - Canberra
Cue Dependent
Now check your answers...
Germany – Berlin
Australia - Canberra
USA – Washington DC
Spain – Madrid
Netherlands – Amsterdam
Greece – Athens
China – Beijing
Japan – Tokyo
Portugal - Lisbon

37. How did you answers compare first and second time around?
Cue Dependent
How did you answers compare first and second time around?
Why was this?

38. Context 2) State There are two types of cue dependent forgetting…
What could each of these mean?
Can you give an example for each?

39. There are two types of cue dependent forgetting…
Context = External environmental cues
State = Internal cues
Known as ‘Context dependent forgetting’
Known as ‘State dependent forgetting’

40. Context-dependent forgetting AO3
Research to support… Godden & Baddeley (1975) Aim: To investigate whether we recall information better in the same environment it was coded in. The results show that those who had recalled in the same environment (i.e. context) which that had learned recalled 40% more words than those recalling in a different environment. This suggests that the retrieval of information is improved if it occurs in the context in which it was learned. Conclusion… the external cues available at coding were not available at recall, therefore recall was lower.

41. State-dependent forgetting
Internal – inside of us, physical, emotional, mood, drunk ect. Occurs with internal retrieval cues, with forgetting occurring when an individual’s internal environment is dissimilar at recall to when information was coded. e.g trying to recall information you learned sober while you are drunk.
External / Context - in the environment, e.g. smell, place etc.
Internal / State- inside of us, e.g. physical, emotional, mood, drunk etc.

42. State-dependent forgetting
Research to support... Overton (1972) Read the research… is it unethical? Think about the cost-benefit analysis… Discuss the cost-benefit analysis

43. Evaluation
P: Explanations of forgetting can be applied to real life, E: when we are finding it difficult to remember something, it is worth making the effort to try to recall the environment in which you learnt the information first. This is the basic principle of the cognitive interview E: the cognitive interview is a valuable tool for accurate recall from eyewitnesses. L: Therefore explanations of forgetting such as state-dependent forgetting can be applied to real life.
Retrieval failure is able to explain certain things that can’t be explained by trace decay, and findings from a lot of studies have supported the theory. However, certain studies have been criticised; for example, the Godden and Baddeley study above has been criticised for its extreme conditions, and the Bower study has been criticised for being ethically questionable. We rarely have to recall things in real life under such extreme conditions. Other studies have been carried out which show that in normal situations, the differences in recall are less noticeable.

44. Evaluation
P: There are problems with the validity of the research supporting CDF E: The experiments are usually laboratory based and not like everyday memory tasks, they don’t take into account procedural memories E: for example, riding a bike isn’t affected by state-dependent failure L: therefore, this explanation lacks external validity and further investigation into different types of memory would be a more valid explanation

45. Evaluation
P: Some of the research studies that have been used to support retrieval failure have been criticised E: Godden & Baddeley’s study above has been criticised for its extreme conditions and the Overton study has been criticised for being ethically questionable. E:We rarely have to recall information in real life under such extreme conditions. L: Therefore the validity of such research is questionable.
Retrieval failure is able to explain certain things that can’t be explained by trace decay, and findings from a lot of studies have supported the theory. However, certain studies have been criticised; for example, the Godden and Baddeley study above has been criticised for its extreme conditions, and the Bower study has been criticised for being ethically questionable. We rarely have to recall things in real life under such extreme conditions. Other studies have been carried out which show that in normal situations, the differences in recall are less noticeable.

46. Context dependent forgetting AO3
P: Context effects are questionable E: Baddeley (1997) argues that context effects are not very strong, especially in real life. Different contexts have to be very different for an effect to be seen. E: beyond the research, it would be hard to find a context as different as being underwater and on land L: this is a limitation because it means that the real-life applications of retrieval failure due to context cues don’t actually explain much forgetting.

47. Further things to think about
Cue Dependent
Further things to think about
Can we relate to it in real life?
What are the downsides of relying on experimental evidence?
Are there any circumstances where state and context cues might be the same?
How is this theory useful to students like you?

48. Cue Dependent

49. Practical Applications
Cue Dependent
Practical Applications
How could you use this theory to help patients with dementia? – how would this support the Cue Dependent Theory?
Helping Patients with Dementia??

50. Homework 1 Cue Dependent
Describe and evaluate Retrieval Failure Theory of forgetting (12 marks)
(AO1 6, AO3 6)
Paragraph 1: Encoding Specificity Principle
Paragraph 2: Cue Dependent – including Context Cues with examples.
Paragraph 3: State Dependent – including State Cues with examples
Paragraph 4: Supporting Evidence – explain the findings and how it supports.
Paragraph 5: Practical applications and strengths
Paragraph 6: Comparison with alternative explanation – interference theory.
Paragraph 7: Other strengths and/or weaknesses

51. Remember state, make, explain your points – link to the question!
Cue Dependent
Homework 1
Describe and evaluate Retrieval Failure Theory of forgetting (12 marks)
(AO1 6, AO3 6)
Remember state, make, explain your points – link to the question!

52. Cue Dependent
Homework 2
Complete pages of EWT booklet