Retrieval Failure Theory

Definition

Retrieval Failure Theory refers to the idea that forgetting occurs when there is a lack of cues or prompts to help retrieve information from memory. It suggests that even though the information is stored in memory, it cannot be accessed without the appropriate retrieval cues.

Related terms

Encoding Specificity Principle: This principle states that retrieval is more successful when the context during encoding matches the context during retrieval.

State-Dependent Memory: State-dependent memory refers to the phenomenon where recall is improved when an individual's internal state at encoding matches their internal state at retrieval.

Context-Dependent Memory: Context-dependent memory suggests that recall improves when an individual's external environment at encoding matches their external environment at retrieval.