Tadeo walked into a room and knew that there is something he needed, but in order to remember it, he had to go back to the room he started in and use his surroundings. This illustrates

• A. the importance of retrieval cues in memory.
• B. the role of the recency effect.
• C. the role of the primacy effect.
• D. the importance of maintenance rehearsal in memory.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the key concept in the scenario: Tadeo needs to remember something by returning to the original room, which suggests the use of environmental cues.
2. Understand the concept of retrieval cues: These are stimuli that help you access memories. In this case, the surroundings in the original room act as retrieval cues.
3. Differentiate retrieval cues from other memory concepts: The recency effect involves recalling the last items in a list, the primacy effect involves recalling the first items, and maintenance rehearsal involves repeating information to keep it in short-term memory.
4. Analyze why the other options do not fit: The scenario does not involve a list of items (recency or primacy effects) or repetition of information (maintenance rehearsal).
5. Conclude that the scenario illustrates the importance of retrieval cues in memory, as Tadeo uses environmental cues to trigger his memory.