Cue Dependency Description

Cue Dependency Description

1. When cues are present at encoding are not present at retrieval then forgetting may occur

2. Cues are like additional pieces of information that guide us to the information we are seeking a bit like the contents page of a book

3. These memory cues may be necessary to access information that is available but not accessible

4. There are two types of cues

   • Context cues, which are environmental cues such as your classroom
   • e.g. when someone goes upstairs to get something and forget what it is they may remember again when they back in the place they first thought about it
   • State cues, which are internal to the person such as being excited or afraid
     • e.g. if you learn something when in a relaxed mood but cannot recall it when in a tense mood