Final answer:
The encoding specificity principle states that a retrieval cue will be effective if it reinstates the context of the to-be-remembered event.
Step-by-step explanation:
Encoding Specificity Principle
The principle of encoding specificity states that a retrieval cue will be effective if and only if it reinstates the context of the to-be-remembered event. In other words, when we encode and store information in our memory, the specific context or environment in which it was learned becomes a retrieval cue that can help us remember that information later on.
For example, let's say you learned a vocabulary word while sitting in a particular classroom with a specific smell and background noise. When you encounter a similar smell or noise later, it can serve as a retrieval cue that brings back the memory of that vocabulary word.