Long term memory Intro

Interference in Long Term Memory

• Interference: A cause of forgetting in long-term memory.

  • Introduced through tasks involving learning word pairs.

  • Example of a participant learning pairs such as "dog" to "chair."

Proactive Interference

• Proactive Interference: Occurs when older information disrupts the recall of newer information.

  • Cue Overload: When the same cue is associated with multiple targets (e.g., "dog" linked to both "chair" and "sofa"), it complicates recall.

  • Can illustrate that the retention of older information can interfere with new learning.

Retroactive Interference

• Retroactive Interference: New information interrupts the recall of previously learned information.

  • For instance, learning a new list where previously learned pairs compete with new pairs in memory.

Experimental Paradigms

• Participants learn one list of word pairs followed by another. Success in recalling associations diminishes with similarities in lists.

• Importance of the similarity of material on recall performance (50% for closely associated lists vs 90% for no interference).

Manipulating Interference

• Experiments demonstrate improvements in recall by using completely different cues or targets in a second learning task, reducing proactive interference.

• Results show that similarity significantly affects retention and recall rates.

Learning Trials and Interference

• Retention rate is influenced by how deeply information is learned (e.g., reiterating pairs multiple times).

• Kepplin and Underwood's Study: Found increasing repetitions helped reduce proactive interference when tested on different lists.

Network Models of Memory

• Networks are often constructed to demonstrate connection strength between concepts.

• Concepts are represented by nodes, connected through various types of links (e.g., property links and ISA links), showcasing hierarchical organization.

Spreading Activation

• Spreading Activation: When thinking about a concept, activation spreads to related concepts.

  • Example: When thinking of "fire," related concepts like "fire engine" become activated, speeding up retrieval of those concepts.

Retrieval Processes

• Recall vs. Recognition Tests: Different cognitive processes involved in retrieving information.

  • Free Recall: Requires generating responses based on memory.

  • Cued Recall: Involves hints or cues that identify memory candidates.

  • Recognition Test: Participants match responses from prompts, often easier than recall.

Memory Errors

• Memory quality can be influenced by schemas, expectations, and prior experiences when reconstructing memories.

• Errors stem from fitting memories into existing mental frameworks, affecting retrieval accuracy.

Long-Term Retention and Memory Quality

• Evidence shows people can have robust memories even decades later (e.g., 90% recall for high school classmates).

• Suggests longevity of memory may be linked to deeply encoded information.

Influence of Context on Memory

• Contextual Cues: The environment during encoding can influence recall performance during retrieval.

  • People often remember better when tested in the same context in which they learned the material.

• Experiment highlighting learning underwater vs. on land shows significant performance differences based on context during retrieval.

Internal Context and Mood

• Mood can serve as an internal context for memory encoding and retrieval.

  • Mood-Induction: Emotional states during encoding influence retrieval success. Testing in the same emotional state leads to better recall.

Transfer Appropriate Processing

• Transfer Appropriate Processing: The effectiveness of memory retrieval is influenced by the similarity in processing between encoding and retrieval.

  • Semantic encoding yields better memory, especially when retrieval matches the original encoding context.

Strategies for Improved Encoding and Retrieval

• Testing Effect: Self-testing yields better retention than repeated studying through passive review of material.

• Overlearning: Continuing to study material even after initial mastery to strengthen memory retention.

• Spaced Practice: Studying over spaced intervals rather than cramming leads to better long-term retention.