Part-list cueing effect
Memory effect
Being reminded of some items from a set can make it harder to recall the rest. The cues seem to pull memory toward the items you were given and away from the missing ones.
In everyday life
You try to name all seven dwarfs from Snow White and do worse after a friend 'helps' by naming three of them.
Your partner reads you the ten names already on the party invite to jog your memory, and you end up thinking of fewer missing guests than when you tried on your own.
Why your mind does this
We cannot hold every moment of an experience or every item in a list in mind. The brain keeps a few standout pieces, such as the most intense moment, the ending, or the first and last items, and lets them stand for the whole. This makes memories compact and quick to use.
Its family, in 30 seconds: Key elements
How to spot it
Notice when being reminded of a few items makes you stop coming up with the others.
What you can do
Try to recall a full set on your own first, and only then look at hints or partial lists.
Same family: Key elements
SourcesSlamecka (1968)·Wikipedia