forgetting interference

Interference

Interference is when old and new memories compete and make it harder to remember information.

Proactive interference

old info interferes with new info.

Retroactive interference

new info interferes with old info.

Effects of similarity

Interference is stronger when the information is similar.

• You are more likely to get confused if two memories look alike.

P

Strength: evidence for effects of similarity

E

McGeoch and McDonald: pps given a list of ten words to remember, then a secondary list of different words, either synonyms, antonyms, completely unrelated words, etc.

E

Recall was the worst in the group that had learnt synonyms in their second list

L

Demonstrates effects of similarity on recall

P

Limitation: research support lacks validity

E

Studies conducted in lab, findings lack ecological validity, stimulus lacks mundane realism

E

Real life = motivation, e.g. learning and recalling birthdays or material for exams

L

Interference may be more likely to happen in a lab, so research may tell us little about interference in real life

P

Limitation: interference overcome with cues

E

Tulving and Psotka (1971): pps given word list organised into categories, adding new lists each time, recall of original list was initially 70%, progressively worse as pps learnt new lists

E

Participants were then told the previously unknown names of the categories and recall of the original list again rose to around 70%

L

Shows that cues causing retrieval failure more accurate explanation than interference