Encoding Specificity

Retrieval is best when cues at recall match cues present during encoding.

Intuition

The brain uses context as a fingerprint for finding the memory again.

Two flavours:

• Context-Dependent Memory: same physical environment helps (studied underwater, tested underwater)
• State-Dependent Memory: same internal state helps (mood, caffeine, etc.)

Practical

If you study in silence in the library, taking the test in a noisy gym is actively working against you.