A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

What aspect of memory did Godden and Badderly focus on in their experiments?

1. The role of semantic memory

2. The impact of context on memory retrieval

3. The effectiveness of mnemonics

4. The permanence of memory over time

The correct answer is: The impact of context on memory retrieval

Godden and Baddeley's research is well-known for examining how context affects the retrieval of memory. In their experiments, they investigated this by having divers learn material either underwater or on land and then tested their recall in the same or different contexts. Their findings indicated that memory performance was significantly better when the context of encoding and retrieval matched, highlighting the importance of environmental cues in the process of memory retrieval. This phenomenon is often referred to as context-dependent memory, which underscores the influence of contextual factors on how memories are accessed. The other options do not capture the primary focus of Godden and Baddeley's work; they did not specifically investigate semantic memory or the strategies of mnemonics, nor did they primarily concern themselves with the long-term permanence of memory. Instead, their studies clearly illustrate how context plays a crucial role in enhancing recall, making insights into memory retrieval depend on matching the encoding and retrieval conditions.