Altering retrieval sets: When will contextual cues make a difference?

It is known that the retrieval of brand information is a necessary condition for choice. It is also known that retrieval is affected by cues present in the encoding and retrieval environment. This paper examines the role of prior knowledge as a moderator in the relationship between contextual cues and set formation. Results show that retrieval cues are influential in the formation of the retrieval set for the high knowledge consumers, while low knowledge consumers are unaffected by the retrieval cues. Not only are the retrieval sets of the high knowledge consumer altered across retrieval contexts, but the additions to the set are relevant to the new retrieval context.