Question
absentmindedness
blocking
Paige knew her friend’s phone number, but she couldn’t remember it.
Press Space to open
Talking with a student after class, the professor forgot his briefcase in the classroom.
blocking
Paige knew her friend’s phone number, but she couldn’t remember it.
Press Space to open
Talking with a student after class, the professor forgot his briefcase in the classroom.
Answers
GPT-5 mini
These are two different everyday memory failures:
- Blocking — a temporary inability to retrieve information that you know is stored. Characteristic: you feel the answer is “on the tip of your tongue.” Example: “Paige knew her friend’s phone number, but she couldn’t remember it.” That fits blocking.
- Absentmindedness — failures in encoding or retrieval caused by lapses of attention (distractedness, automatic routines). Characteristic: you didn’t properly register the action or you were distracted when you needed the memory. Example: “Talking with a student after class, the professor forgot his briefcase in the classroom.” That fits absentmindedness.
Quick tips to reduce them:
- For blocking: use retrieval cues (context, smells, related words), relax (anxiety can worsen blocking), and practice retrieval (frequent recall strengthens access).
- For absentmindedness: minimize distractions, use external reminders (lists, alarms), form implementation intentions (e.g., “When I leave the classroom I will pick up my briefcase”), and make deliberate encoding (say or visualize what you’re doing).
- Blocking — a temporary inability to retrieve information that you know is stored. Characteristic: you feel the answer is “on the tip of your tongue.” Example: “Paige knew her friend’s phone number, but she couldn’t remember it.” That fits blocking.
- Absentmindedness — failures in encoding or retrieval caused by lapses of attention (distractedness, automatic routines). Characteristic: you didn’t properly register the action or you were distracted when you needed the memory. Example: “Talking with a student after class, the professor forgot his briefcase in the classroom.” That fits absentmindedness.
Quick tips to reduce them:
- For blocking: use retrieval cues (context, smells, related words), relax (anxiety can worsen blocking), and practice retrieval (frequent recall strengthens access).
- For absentmindedness: minimize distractions, use external reminders (lists, alarms), form implementation intentions (e.g., “When I leave the classroom I will pick up my briefcase”), and make deliberate encoding (say or visualize what you’re doing).