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.