Final answer:
Context-dependent memory refers to the idea that environmental cues present during learning can serve as retrieval cues when trying to remember information later on.
Step-by-step explanation:
When people remember information better in the same context in which they stored it, it is known as the context-dependent memory. Context-dependent memory refers to the idea that environmental cues present during learning can serve as retrieval cues when trying to remember information later on. For example, if you study for a test in a particular room, you may perform better on the test if you take it in the same room.
This phenomenon can be explained by the theory of encoding specificity, which suggests that the external context in which information is learned becomes part of the memory representation, and serves as a cue for retrieval. When the encoding context matches the retrieval context, memory performance tends to be better.
To illustrate this, imagine studying for a history exam while sitting in your room and listening to classical music. When you take the exam in the classroom where the material was taught, with classical music playing in the background, the similarity in context can trigger memory retrieval and enhance your performance on the exam.