1. It's the context, baby...

a. You remember best if you have clues available to you.
"Where did you last see it?"... Reinstating the context.

b. Recognition tests of memory are generally easier than Recall.

Tell me which words you saw before...
Write down the words you saw before...
Why?  More context.
Fact:  If you study for an essay test you remember more
    than if you study for a multiple choice test.  Why?

c. If you space out your study you remember better.  Why?
        A greater variety of context cues to remind you later...

d. If you visualize while studying, if you actively take notes
    (not just highlight!!!), if you connect the ideas together, you
    remember better.  Why?  More context (interconnections).

Sometimes:  e.g., Tip of the Tongue Phenomenon.

But, Dej Já Vue:  Maybe there's a part of your brain that goes "Yes, that's it..."

Wisdom:  I've learned that feeling that I know something doesn't guarantee that I do!
 

a. You may remember what you THOUGHT happened.
b. Your biases (schemas) influence your memories.

e.g. "Of course I signed the credit card slip..."
e.g. "Of course the Duke player fouled the UNC player."
e.g. President Reagan remembering his war experience... once.

c. "Leading questions" can influence your memory.

Elizabeth Loftus' Misinformation Effect:
    "Smashed" vs "Hit" produces false memory of broken glass.
    Loftus says this is "overwriting" the real memory.
    Others say this is faulty "source monitoring" - initial memory may be okay.

a. Freud stressed that we repress memories that are too anxiety provoking.
b. Others would agree.  I would agree.  This is not questioned here.
c. But, are all "recovered" memories authentic?
d. It is important to be cautious about this.  Could the memory be "suggested?"
e. The Cici segment of 20/20 (April, 1993).