Unintentional failing refers to forgetting that occurs without deliberate intention or effort. It happens when retrieval cues fail to activate the correct memory traces effectively.
Related terms
Absentmindedness: Absentmindedness involves forgetting due to lapses in attention or lack of focus during encoding or retrieval processes.
Transience: Transience refers to forgetting that naturally occurs over time as memories gradually decay and become less accessible.
Tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon (TOT): TOT phenomenon is experiencing the feeling of knowing that specific information is stored in memory but being temporarily unable to retrieve it.