What the exam asks
- Differentiating from in everyday or academic scenarios, and identifying , , and memory from short vignettes.
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AP Psychology · Lesson 7 of 10 · Unit 2
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Storing a memory is useless if you cannot get it back out when you need it—especially during your AP exam. On the AP Psychology exam, memory retrieval is heavily tested in multiple-choice scenario questions, data-set items comparing study strategies, and Section II Evidence-Based Questions (EBQs) on student learning.
Preview
You’ve read the first part of this lesson. The rest is part of Pro: about 5 more minutes of reading, plus the quick check.
Retrieval is the process of getting information out of long-term memory storage and back into conscious awareness (working memory). The exam distinguishes two primary forms based on whether external cues are present:
| Retrieval Type | Definition | Classroom & Everyday Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Recall | Retrieving information without the help of explicit external cues; you must generate the target information yourself. | Writing an FRQ response in Bluebook, fill-in-the-blank quizzes, naming all seven psychological perspectives from memory. |
| Recognition | Retrieving information with the help of cues; you only need to identify previously learned items from a list or environment. | Answering a four-option AP multiple-choice question, picking a suspect out of a police lineup, recognizing a classmate’s face in a yearbook. |
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