Explanations for forgetting - interference

when does interference occur?

when 2 pieces of info disrupt each other in memory (LTM), resulting in forgetting of one/both.

what are the two types of interference?

proactive and retroactive

What is proactive interference?

older memories already stored, interfere with recall of newer memories

what is retroactive interference?

new memories interfere with recall of older memories

what does research show about interference?

• the more sim the info, more likely interference will occur → bc prev stored info makes new sim info more difficult to store (PI)/new info overwrites prev sim mem bc of similarity (RI)

• interference is temporary + can be overcome using cued recall e.g smell, word

what research supports interference? +

• B&H asked rugby players to recall team names they played against in rugby szn

• players who played most games → poorest recall due to having most interf

• McGeoch & McDonald asked ppt to learn list of 10 words w 100% accuracy, then learn new list

• f most sim word lists prod worst recall showing intereference strongest when mem are similar

• T: incr cred of interf expl, supp id interf as expl of forgetting

how does the supporting research have LMR + LEV?

• inv tasks which ae not meaningful + unlike tasks we perf in everyday life → eg word/trigram lists

• carried out in lab → artificial setting unlike rl

• may have infl ppt beh in study, changed way they norm use their mem

• T: red ext valid, means may not be able to gen findings from these stud to interf irl

how does the supporting research have HCOEV?

• stud carried out in lab → easier to ctrl extraneous vari, such as time of day/noise + standardise expt such as info being recalled/time betw learning + recall

• theref unlikely any extran vari infl DV

• T: incr internal valid, c&e can be est → eg interf would be only infl on ppt recall

how is interference limited?

• 2 mem must be fairly sim to interf w each other

• in lab stud → conditions set up for interf to occur

• eg material ppt must learn is delib made to be sim

• h, doesnt happ often irl + interf cannot acc for all the times we forget

• T: interf may acc for some forgetting, but must be comb w another expl such as retrieval fail to acc for all forgetting