The Retrieval Process

The retrieval process reflects how accurately you can recall information that is stored or encoded in your long-term memory.
There are two types of retrieval tasks: implicit and explicit.
Implicit Memory Tasks seem unrelated to previously learned material. Example:When you dial your parents' phone number. We tend not to think about it, we just pick up the phone and dial. Another example would be when we see the Golden Arches we do not have to look at the sign to know it is McDonald's. When we use implicit memory, we are not making a conscious effort to recall past experiences.
Repetition Priming Task(Toth, 2000) states recent exposure to information increases the likelihood the information will be recalled later when given a cue.
For Example:When teachers give students a list of words to learn (animal), they give them examples(dog, cat, tiger, elelphant) to go with each word. Later when they test the students ability to recall the words they give them the examples and ask for the word.
Dissociation (Neath, 1998)occurs when a variable has no effect or one kind of effect on test A and no effect or an opposite effect on test B.
Research has indicated that people generally know more on implicit memory tasks than can be shown on recall tasks.
Explicit Memory TasksConscious of your memory being tested
Requires the deliberate recall of material Example:When we try to dial a phone number that we just learned. At first, we have to think about it. Another example is when we try to recall how to spell a newly learned vocabulary word.
Consist of specific memories regarding specific events that happened at specific times and places in the external world.
Two Types of Memory Tests
Recall:individual is producing the information that was learned at an earlier time. Example-essay tests
Recognition:individual is recognizing information that was learned at an earlier time. Example-multiple choice tests
Reference
Matlin, M.W. (2005),Cognition (6th ed.) Wiley and Sons