Retrieval
Types of Retrieval
• The process of getting information out of memory
storage
• Relearning – Takes less time to relearn something
you’ve already studied/learned before.
• Recall—test of LTM that involves retrieving memories
without cues, also termed free recall
– Cued recall—test of LTM that involves remembering an item of
information in response to a retrieval cue
• Recognition—test of LTM that involves identifying correct
information from a series of possible choices.
• Serial position effect—tendency to remember items at
the beginning and end of a list better than items in the
middle.
– Primacy – beginning of list
– Recency – end of the list
Take out a piece of paper
Name the Seven Dwarves
Recall
• A measure of memory in which the person
must retrieve information learned earlier
• Example: Essay, fill-in-the-blank, and short
answer test questions test recall
• Recall Tests will do THIS to your head.
Recognition
• A measure of memory in which a
person must identify items learned
earlier
• Example: Multiple choice and
matching test questions test
recognition
Turn your paper over.
Now pick out the seven dwarves.
Grouchy Gabby Fearful Sleepy
Smiley Jumpy Hopeful Shy
Droopy Dopey Sniffy Wishful
Puffy Dumpy Sneezy Pop
Grumpy Bashful Cheerful Teach
Snorty Nifty Happy Doc Wheezy
Stubby Poopy
Seven Dwarves
Sleepy, Dopey, Grumpy, Sneezy, Happy, Doc and Bashful
Recall vs. Recognition tests
• Importance of retrieval cues evident in recall vs.
recognition tests
• Recall tests - must retrieve info learned earlier.
• Two step process: 1) generate a mental list, 2)
recognize the answer from the list.
– Examples: Fill-in-the-blank test; essay exams
• Recognition tests - only need to identify the
correct answer.
• 1 step process: 1) recognize answer from the
list. List was already generated for you.
– Example: Multiple choice tests
Priming
• Memoryless Memory
• Priming is influence of one memory on
another without your awareness
• A type of implicit memory because it does not
depend on awareness and is automatic
• View this example from Derren Brown – with
his ad agency video – 8 min
Perceptual Priming
• Prime enhances ability to identify a test stimulus
based on its physical features
• By showing you one thing, I can influence how you’ll
see or perceive another.
• Does not work across sense modalities
• Here is a demonstration
Perceptual Priming
• Can you identify the
fragmented stimulus
to the right?
Perceptual Priming
• What if you were
shown the following
slide earlier in the
lecture?
Retrieval:
Context Effects
Retrieval Cue
• Retrieval Cue – a clue, prompt, or hint that can
trigger the recall of a stored memory
• 3 Associations Demo
• Memories only appear to be forgotten. You
are only lacking the right retrieval cue.
Which retrieval cues work best?
Encoding Specificity
– When conditions of retrieval are similar to original
conditions of encoding, retrieval is more likely to
be successful
Encoding Specificity Types
• Context effects—environmental cues to recall
• State dependent retrieval—physical, internal
factors
• Mood Congruence—factors related to mood or
emotions
Which retrieval cues
work best?
• Context-dependent memory - enhanced
ability to retrieve information when you are
in an environment similar to the one in
which you encoded the information
– Better recall if tested in classroom where you initially
learned info than if moved to a new classroom
– If learning room smells of chocolate or mothballs,
people will recall more info if tested in room with the
same smell
• compared to different smell or no smell at all
Retrieval uses your Senses!
• fMRI shows that when people memorized the
label “dog” with the sound of a bark the auditory
cortex activated when they retrieved it.
• Those memorized the label “dog” to a picture
activated their visual cortex when they retrieved
it.
• Retrieving a memory reactivates the sensory area
of the cortex that was involved in the initial
perception of the event.
State-Dependent Memory
• The enhanced ability to retrieve information
when the person is in the same physical and
emotional state they were in when they
encoded the information
• If you are in an altered state of consciousness
you will be more likely to remember things you
learned or did when in that state again.
State Dependent Memory
(Drug Induced State)
Drunk doing
something
Recall better
if drunk
Than if sober
Mood Congruence
• Type of State Dependent Memory
• Mood Congruence – Mood tends to evoke
memories of when you were in that same mood.
• Positive mood will likely cause you to remember
other times you were positive.
Mood Congruence effects
–Bipolar depressives
• Info learned in manic state, recall more if
testing done during manic state
• Info learned in depressed state, recall more if
testing done during depressed state
Semantic Network Model
• Mental links between concepts
– common properties provide basis for mental link
• Shorter path between two concepts =
stronger association in memory
• Activating one concept can spread and
activate other associations.
• Think of our Spaghetti Demo in class to
demonstrate this.
Semantic Network Model
See example at Human Cloud Brain
Car
Truck
Bus
Fire
House
Engine
Fire
Ambulance
Hot
Red
Stove
Rose
Apple
Cherry
Pot
Pan
Violet
Flower
Pear
Pie