Explanations of forgetting: Interference

interference theory

Interference was mainly put forward as an explanation of forgetting in long-term memory.

Interference occurs when two pieces of information conflict with each other, resulting in forgetting of one or both, or in some distortion of memory.

Once information has reached LTM it is more or less permanent. Therefore, any forgetting we might experience is not because the memory is not there, it is because we can’t access.

Interference between memories makes it harder for us to locate them and we experience this as forgetting.

proactive interference

When an older memory interferes with a newer memory.

PRO means working forwards, from old to new

retroactive interference

When an newer memory interferes with an older memory.

RETRO means working backwards, from new to old.

McGeoch and Mcdonald (1931)

•Studied retroactive interference

•Participants had to learn a list of words until they could remember them with 100% accuracy

•Learned a new list (6 groups of participants + 6 different types of lists)

•Recall of original list of word depended on the nature of the second list

•The most similar material (synonyms) produced the worst recall

•Interference strongest when the memories are similar