Interference (Forgetting) Booklet 7

Outline what is meant by interference?

Forgetting caused by one memory disrupting another. Causes one or both memories to be distorted or forgotten.

Describe what is meant by Retroactive and Proactive Interference

Retroactive: the process whereby new learning interferes with the recall of old learning.

Proactive: the process whereby old learning interferes with the recall of new learning.

Give an example of Retroactive and Proactive Interference

Retroactive example:

• Joseph has recently got a new mobile number and can finally remember it. After a few months, his mother asks him for his old number, and he can no longer remember it.

Proactive example:

• Michelle learned Spanish at primary school. When she started secondary school she started learning French as well. When her French teacher asks her the word for “hello”, she replies with “hola”.

Give 2 factors that increase the likelihood of interference

1. Similarities between memories

2. Shorter time between learning sets of materials.

Describe the Procedure and Findings of McGeoch and McDonald’s study

Procedure:

• Participants learned a list of words. Then participants were given ether a list of words or numbers.

Findings:

• The more similar the second list was to the first list, the worse the recall of the first list.

• Shows that similarity increases effects of retroactive interference.

How does the findings of McGeoch and McDonald’s study support the effects of interference on memory?

Shows that the more similar the information, the worse the recall. Therefore similarity increases retroactive interference (as new list disrupts recall of old list)

Describe the Procedure and Findings of Baddeley and Hitch’s study

Procedure:

• Asked rugby players to remember names of teams they had played so far in season.

Findings:

• Players had a better memory of teams if they had played less games.

• How long ago matches were was less important.

• Shows that interference (due to similarity) rather than time has an impact on forgetting.

How does the findings of Baddeley and Hitch’s study support the effects of interference on memory?

The more games played (more similar events) the more increased the interference.

Describe the Procedure and Findings of Burke and Skrull’s study

Procedure:

• Gave people magazine adverts to recall from memory

Findings:

• The more similar products were, the worse the recall.

• Shows that competitive interference (similarity increases) occurred

How does the findings of Burke and Skrull’s study support the effects of interference on memory?

Shows that similarity (found with similar product advertisements) increases interference.

How does research into the effects of interference have useful real life applications?

Teaches us to leave a gap in between learning similar information (helps in revision)

Why might some research into forgetting exaggerate the effects of interference?

In studies time in between learning the lists is really short (shorter than real life) like Mcgeoch and Mcdonald

How does time between learning the 2 sets of material effect levels of interference?

The greater the time between learning the 2 sets of material, the less effect interference has.

How does using cues effect levels of interference?

Using cues reduces levels of interference.