COG - Retrieving Memories Lesson

Learning Targets:

  • Describe strategies for retrieving memories.
  • Describe how external cues, internal emotions, and the sequence of information impact memory retrieval.
  • Discuss how retrieval practice strategies, including the testing effect, interleaving, and metacognition, enhance memory retrieval.

Courtesy of the AP psychology course and exam description, effective fall 2024. (n.d.). Links to an external site.

 

Retrieval

To most of us, memory is the ability to recall information. In psychology, memory is any sign that something has been learned. Retrieval describes how we access, recall, or retrieve stored information. Our ability to retrieve previously stored information depends on retrieval cues (A clue, prompt, or hint that helps trigger the recall of information stored in LTM.). If you have difficulty remembering previously stored information, you have what is called retrieval cue failure (The inability to recall previously stored information.).

Recall vs. Recognition

Psychologists like to distinguish between the two retrieval cues, recall and recognition. Recall is when you must retrieve previously stored information from your memory. An example would be writing an FRQ for your AP Psychology course. Recognition is where you must identify a target or solution from several targets or solutions, like the multiple-choice section of your AP exam. The main difference between recall and recognition is that recognition involves a cue, while recall does not. 

Recognition (as in a multiple choice test) and Recall (as in writing an FRQ)

Retrieval Cues

Retrieval cues help us remember information. They can be prompts, clues, or hints that help recall stored memories. Priming is a method in which we activate the strands of information that lead us to memory. For example, if you have lost your smartphone, you retrace the steps to find where the item may have been lost. Did you last see it when you walked in the door? Did you answer that last text sitting on the couch?

Priming

Priming plays a crucial role in memory retrieval as it involves the activation of specific associations in our memory, often without conscious awareness. External cues, such as sights, sounds, or scents, can trigger these associations and impact our ability to remember certain information. For example, imagine walking into a bakery and smelling freshly baked cookies. This scent may prime your memory to recall pleasant childhood memories of baking with your family, even if you weren't consciously thinking about it. These external cues can act as triggers that help retrieve previously encoded memories in our brains, showcasing the powerful influence of priming on memory retrieval processes.

Context-Dependent Memory

When we learn new information, our brain makes connections not only to the information itself but also to the context in which it was learned. This is known as context-dependent memory. For example, if you studied for a test in a quiet library with classical music playing in the background, returning to that same environment during the test can help trigger the memories associated with what you studied. This is because the external cues, such as the quiet atmosphere and music, serve as reminders that link back to the information stored in your memory.

The encoding specificity principle highlights the importance of these specific cues in triggering memory recall. Just like how a specific scent can bring back memories of a particular event, the cues associated with the learning context play a crucial role in memory retrieval. By effectively understanding and utilizing these external cues, we can maximize our memory retrieval abilities and enhance our learning experiences.

State-Dependent Memory

State-dependent memory is a fascinating phenomenon where our memory recall is influenced by external cues or the state we were in when we learned the information. For example, suppose you study for a test in a noisy environment with music playing in the background. In that case, you may recall the material better during the exam if you recreate those same conditions by listening to the same music. This is because your brain associates the external cues (the music and noise) with the information you learned, making it easier to retrieve that knowledge when exposed to similar cues again. Understanding state-dependent memory can help you optimize your study habits and enhance your memory recall abilities in various situations.

Mood-Congruent Memory

Emotions can also be linked to memory. Mood-congruent memory is a phenomenon that reflects memory-state dependence, wherein emotions experienced during past events serve as retrieval cues. For example, if a student feels happy while studying and then takes a test in a similar cheerful mood, they may find recalling information learned in that same positive state easier. Conversely, if a student is feeling anxious during a test, they might more readily remember the information studied while feeling nervous. The link between mood and memory retrieval highlights the importance of creating a conducive emotional environment during learning to enhance memory recall.

Serial Position Effect

Another crucial aspect of memory retrieval is the serial position effect. This effect explains why we remember the last items on a list (recency effect) and the first items on a list (primacy effect) more quickly than items in the middle. For instance, when asked to list all the presidents of the United States, you may find it easier to remember the first few presidents (primacy effect) like George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. Additionally, you might recall the most recent presidents (recency effect) like Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden more readily. However, remembering the presidents who served between these two groups may be more challenging, such as James K. Polk, Millard Fillmore, or Rutherford B. Hayes. This phenomenon showcases how the serial position effect can impact memory retrieval in various contexts, including remembering the sequence of presidents.

Retrieval Practice Strategies

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