explanations of forgetting

what is interference?

when one memory disrupts (or interferes with) our ability to recall another

when is interference most likely to occur?

when two memories are similar

what are the two types of interference?

retroactive interference and proactive interference

when does retroactive interference occur?

when newley learnt information disrupts our recall of older memories

example of retroactive interference

learning the spanish word for ‘thank you’ and then learning the italian word for ‘thank you’ and struggling to recall the spanish word you learned first

when does proactive interference occur?

when old memories disrupt our ability to learn and recall new information

example of proactive interference

learning the spanish word for ‘thank you’ and then learning the italian word for ‘thank you’ and struggling to recall the italian word you learned later

what is another explanation of forgetting?

retrieval failure

what is retrieval failure?

an absence of cues may make it difficult for us to retrieve information from LTM even if it is still stored

when does retrieval failure occur?

when a memory is available but we cannot access it because we do not have the necessary ‘triggers’ (or cues) to do so.

when memories are initially coded, what do we also code?

we also often code where we were at the time the information was learned (i.e. the context) or how we felt (i.e. our ‘state’)

how is memory often triggered?

by returning to the context or state in which we first experienced a memory

when will we often forget information (or fail to retrieve it)?

when triggers or cues are not present at the time of retrieval (or recall)

what is context dependent forgetting?

an inability to retrieve a memory due to an absence of environmental triggers (or cues) at the time of retrieval

2 examples of context dependent forgetting

learning a fact in one classroom and struggling to remember it when asked to recall in a different classroom or struggling to remember a word until you’re given a prompt (e.g. the first letter of the word)

what is state dependent forgetting?

an inability to retrieve a memory due to being in a different mental state at the time of retrieval to that when the memory was initially coded

example of state dependent forgetting

learning new information whilst upset and struggling to remember it when feeling happier