Techniques Used for Recall (OCR GCSE Psychology): Revision Note

Techniques used in advertising

• Advertisers use psychological research to design campaigns that help consumers remember and respond positively to their products

• Key techniques are:

  • the use of cues and repetition

  • avoiding overload

  • autobiographical advertising

The use of cues

• Advertisers often use cues to trigger memories or emotions associated with their products

• This links to cue-dependent memory, which suggests that recall is easier when the same cues are present at encoding and retrieval

  • E.g. an advert showing someone feeling warm and comforted while drinking soup can make consumers associate the product with that same comforting feeling

• Verbal cues, such as slogans or jingles, help create familiarity

• Non-verbal cues like colours, logos, or imagery act as triggers for brand recall

  • This increases the likelihood that consumers will remember and choose that product later

The use of repetition

• Advertisers use repetition to strengthen memory traces and build brand familiarity

• According to cognitive psychology, repeated exposure helps transfer information into long-term memory, making it more likely to be recalled later

  • E.g. hearing a catchy slogan multiple times makes it easier to remember and associate with the product

• Repetition can also promote positive feelings

  • As consumers become more familiar with an advert, they tend to like it more

    • This is known as the mere exposure effect

Avoiding overload

• Too much information in an advert can lead to cognitive overload

  • This is where the audience struggles to process or remember key details

• If viewers are bombarded with too many images, slogans, or facts, their short-term memory may become overwhelmed, reducing recall

  • To avoid this, advertisers keep messages simple and focused, e.g. using one clear slogan or key image so that the details stay in long-term memory

Autobiographical advertising

• Autobiographical advertising uses nostalgia and personal memories to create emotional connections

  • E.g. ads targeting ‘baby boomers’ might show scenes from the 1950s or 1960s, reminding them of their youth

• This emotional link encourages consumers to associate the product with positive personal memories, increasing the likelihood of purchase

• By tapping into people’s episodic memory, autobiographical advertising makes the product more memorable and meaningful