State-dependent Memory When learning something new, people are aware (consciously or unconsciously) of the environment in which their learning takes place. This learning environment includes the physical setting, the time of day, and even the people who are present during learning. Studies have shown that when people later need to remember information they have learned, their ability to do so is affected by their current environment. If the environment is the same or similar to the original learning environment, recall—the ability to remember—will be easier and more successful. Psychologists refer to this as state-dependent memory.