Retrieval describes the process of remembering information from the long-term memory. There are three ways to retrieve information: recall, recognition and relearning.

Recall describes the access of information without cues. In other words: Not by sensory input but by brain activity. Thus to recall information correctly, coordination and time is needed.

Example: A journalist writes a column about a specific topic that they have a lot of knowledge about.

Recognition describes the identification of already learned information by sensory input. This means that the information is retrieved when encountering it again.

Example: A person sees their favorite food from childhood and immediately remembers how they ate it as a child.

Relearning describes learning of information that one already has learned in the past.

Example: A person picks up a language again that they have learned in school and is able to learn it again quite quickly.

Sources:

Müller-Birn, C., Lecture „05-2 HCI Human Memory“

Introduction to Psychology: Module 7: Memory: Retrieval, https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-psychology/chapter/reading-retrieval/, visited 21.05.21