Endel Tulving

Definition

Endel Tulving was a Canadian psychologist who made significant contributions to the field of memory research. He is best known for his work on episodic and semantic memory, and he proposed the influential theory of 'encoding specificity' in memory retrieval.

Related terms

Episodic Memory:

Episodic memory refers to our ability to remember specific events or experiences from our past. It's like having a mental scrapbook that stores personal moments like your first day of school or a family vacation.

Semantic Memory:

Semantic memory involves our general knowledge about the world, including facts, concepts, and language. It's like having an organized library in your mind where you store information about things like math, history, or different types of animals.

Encoding Specificity: Encoding specificity is Tulving's theory that suggests successful retrieval of memories depends on how well the cues present at encoding match the cues present at retrieval. It's similar to finding lost keys more easily if you retrace your steps because retracing provides specific contextual cues associated with finding them.