I need help responding to this post by Stacy.

Stacy Barbour

Barbour - DB IV

COLLAPSE

In this memory, I vividly recall standing amidst the vibrant ambiance of a Parisian metro station. The memory unfolds as I join the line at the metro ticket booth, surrounded by the animated chatter of commuters in various languages. The task at hand seems straightforwardbuying a metro ticket. However, the challenge lies in my limited grasp of the French language, which had become rusty over time.

As I stood at the metro station, I had a profound realization about the retrieval cues that surrounded me. These cues, though not formally recognized at the time, played a significant role in my memory recall.

Explicit memory, the conscious and deliberate act of recollection, was evident in my attempts to summon the French phrases I had learned earlier. I consciously relied on my past knowledge to navigate this linguistic challenge.

Implicit memory, though not a term I was familiar with then, quietly influenced my behavior. It allowed me to navigate the familiar surroundings of the metro station despite my limited language skills, much like the unconscious memory processes we now discuss in college.

One of the most prominent retrieval cues was the uniform worn by the Paris Metro operator, adorned with its distinct logo. It triggered a connection to my high school French lessons, although I was not consciously aware of the encoding and retrieval processes.

Additionally, the visual cues of the metro stationthe design, colors, and layoutsubtly reinforced my memory recall. These cues, which I now understand as environmental cues, played a pivotal role in helping me access the necessary information stored in my long-term memory.

However, my reliance on retrieval cues did not stop there. The metro operator's hand gestures and facial expressions also became invaluable cues. For instance, when the metro operator inquired about the number of tickets I wanted, they made a hand gesture that resembled counting. This simple cue triggered my memory of the French word for "ticket" (billet), even when my conscious recollection was faltering.

By using a variety of retrieval cues, I successfully purchased a metro ticket from the operator, despite struggling to remember the French I had learned in high school. This experience served as a practical illustration of the importance of using retrieval cues to enhance memory recall.

References:

Goldstein, E. B. (2019). Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research, and everyday experience (5th edition). Boston, MA, USA: Cengage. ISBN-13: 9781337408271