A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

What type of memory task did Godden and Badderly's research illustrate?

1. Short-term memory tasks

2. Working memory tasks

3. Context-dependent memory

4. Emotional memory tasks

The correct answer is: Context-dependent memory

The research conducted by Godden and Baddeley is widely recognized for demonstrating context-dependent memory, which refers to the improved recall of specific information when the context present at encoding and retrieval are the same. In their study, divers learned a list of words either underwater or on land, and they later recalled those words in different environments. The findings revealed that participants recalled more words when the recall environment matched the learning environment, highlighting the significant influence of environmental context on memory retrieval. This illustration of context-dependent memory is fundamental in understanding how external factors can affect cognitive processes related to memory. The strong context effect observed in their experiment reinforces the idea that our memories are not only reliant on the information itself but also on the context and environment in which they were formed.