AAMC FL Practice Exam

Which concept describes how memories can be retrieved based on the situation in which they were learned?

1. Context effects

2. Life course approach to health

3. Priming

4. Recall cues

The correct answer is: Context effects

The concept that describes how memories can be retrieved based on the situation in which they were learned is known as context effects. This principle suggests that the context or environment in which information is encoded can serve as a powerful cue for retrieval. For example, if a person learns information in a specific location or setting, the features of that environment can enhance the likelihood of recalling that information when they are back in the same context. This phenomenon highlights the interplay between the encoding environment and memory recall, emphasizing that memories are often tied to the spatial and situational contexts of their formation. Other concepts like priming and recall cues also relate to memory retrieval but in different ways. Priming involves exposure to one stimulus influencing a response to a subsequent stimulus, thus affecting recall but not specifically tied to the learned context. Recall cues refer to specific reminders or prompts used to trigger the retrieval of memory, which may or may not be contextual. The life course approach to health focuses on the broader scope of health and social factors across an individual’s lifespan and is unrelated to memory retrieval processes.