Dot Point 3

Question 1

Forgetting Curve

Answer 1

A graph that shows the typical rate and amount of forgetting that occurs over time

Question 2

Percentages of the forgetting curve

Answer 2

20 minutes = 58.7%

1 hour = 44.2%

9 hours = 35.8%

1 day = 33.7%

2 days = 27.8%

6 days = 25.4%

31 days = 21.1%

Question 3

What was Hermann Ebbinghaus’ procedure in obtaining the forgetting curve

Answer 3

Used nonsense syllables

Waited various lengths of time before testing (minutes to months)

Question 4

What were Hermann’s conclusions??

Answer 4

Mostly forgetting occurs immediately after memorisation

Forgetting is very rapid initially with approx 1/2 of memory loss occurring within the first hour after learning

It slows after this and plateaus at around 31 days

Question 5

What are the factors that affect rate and amount of forgetting

Answer 5

The meaning of the information - more meaningful info = longer to forget

How well the info is learned/encoded - deeper processing longer to forget

It is not effected by how easy or difficult the information is to learn or by intelligence

Question 6

What are theories of forgetting?

Answer 6

Retrieval Failure

Interference

Motivated forgetting

Decay theory

Question 7

Briefly explain / define Retrieval Failure

Answer 7

• cue dependent forgetting
• can occur because we lack the right cues to retrieve information
• suggests memories stored in LTM are not forgotten, but are temporarily inaccessible or unavailable because of inappropriate or faulty cues

Question 8

Key elements of retrieval failure

Answer 8

Retrieval cue - any stimulus that assists in locating and recovering LTM’s

Context and state dependent cues

Question 9

Context dependent cues

Answer 9

Are the environmental cues in the specific situation where the mercy was formed, including sights, sounds, smells

Question 10

What are state dependent cues

Answer 10

Are associated with a persons internal physiological / psychological state at the to,e the memory was formed. Emotions, stress levels

Question 11

Strength of retrieval failure theory

Answer 11

Tip of tongue is evidence that the right cue can sometimes be needed to retrieve a LTM

Question 12

Limitations Of retrieval failure

Answer 12

No evidence that a memory was encoded or stored in the first place (consolidation may not have occurred)

Cues provided during testing may be incorrect and may not aid retrieval (everybody’s semantic network is different)

Question 13

Briefly explain / define interference theory

Answer 13

Proposes that forgetting in LTM occurs because other memories interfere with the retrieval of what we are trying to recall

The more similar the information, the more likely it is that interference will occur

Learning information lose in time, also means interference is more likely

Question 14

Key elements

Answer 14

Retroactive and proactive interference

Question 15

What is retroactive interference

Answer 15

Occurs when new information interferes with the ability to remember old information

Question 16

What is proactive interference

Answer 16

Occurs when information learned previously (old) can interfere with our ability to remember new information

Question 17

Strengths of the interference theory

Answer 17

Easily replicated in a lab

It is supported by people’s own personal experiences

Question 18

Limitations of the interference theory

Answer 18

Lab experiments tend to use information that is prone to interference

May not occur so readily in real life

Question 19

Briefly explain the theory of motivated forgetting

Answer 19

Refers to forgetting that arises from a strong motive or desire to forget, usually because the experience is too disturbing or upsetting to remember

Question 20

Key elements of interference

Answer 20

Repression and suppression

Question 21

What is repression

Answer 21

Is an unconscious process through which an individual blocks a memory of an event or experience from entering conscious awareness

Question 22

What is suppression?

Answer 22

Involves being motivated to forget an event or experience by making a deliberate, conscious effort to keep it our of conscious awareness

Question 23

Strengths of motivated forgetting theory

Answer 23

Lots of examples of people with painful memories who have lost them for years and suddenly retrieved them for various reasons

Question 24

Limitations of motivated forgetting

Answer 24

Validity is questioned, as durring hypnosis memorise hay have been implanted

Repression is controversial as adults may suddenly remember abuse as a child even though many years elapse and hard to corroborate

Question 25

Briefly explain and define the decay theory

Answer 25

Is based on an assumption that when something new is learned, a physical or chemical memory trace of the experience is formed

According to decay theoret, forgetting occurs because a memory fades through disuse as time passes, unless it is reactivated by being used occasionally

Question 26

Strengths of decay theory

Answer 26

Some studies of the hippocampus have shown a pattern of rapid then gradual decline of neural pathways

Evidence that memories are lost from sensory memory and STM due to decay

Question 27

Limitations of decay theory

Answer 27

Unable to account for sudden recollection of events or information that can occur when correct cues are given

Elderly people can often recall memories from their childhood and procedural memories for years

Question 28

What is forgetting

Answer 28

Forgetting is the inability to retrieve, recall or recognise information previously stored in memory.