Why words may always be on the tip of the tongue
Tuesday, 01 Apr 2008 16:25
Can't remember that word? It may be due to repeated mistakes
Science In Focus
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Scientists believe they have worked out why certain words are always at the tip of the tongue.
Researchers at the McMaster University say struggling to retrieve a word continually may be because people are unconsciously creating a pattern of failure.
They argue that most errors are repeated because the very act of making a mistake, despite receiving correction, constitutes the learning of that mistake.
"We realised that it might not be a case of everyone having certain words that are difficult for them to remember, but that by getting into a tip-of-the-tongue state on a particular word once, they actually learn to go into that incorrect state when they try to retrieve the same word again," explained Karin Humphreys, an assistant professor in McMaster University’s Faculty of Science.
The researchers made their conclusions after testing 30 students to see if they could retrieve words after being given a definition.
If the students said the word was on the tip-of-their-tongue, they were given either ten of 30 seconds to try and remember the word before being shown it.
Two days later, the subjects were tested on the same words again.
Despite having been shown the correct word on day one the subjects tended to have a 'tip-on-the-tongue' moment on the same words as before, and were especially more likely to do so if they had spent a longer time trying to retrieve them.
The longer time in the error state appears to reinforce that incorrect pattern of brain activation that caused the error.
The scientists argue that there may be a strategy for remembering words.
"If you can find out what the word is as soon as possible - by looking it up, or asking someone -you should actually say it to yourself," said Ms Humphreys.
"It doesn't need to be out loud, but you should at least say it to yourself. By laying down another procedural memory you can help ameliorate the effects of the error.
"However, what the research shows is that if you just can't figure it out, stop trying: you're just digging yourself in deeper."