Explanations for forgetting

Question 1

What are the 3 explanations for forgetting?

Answer 1

• Proactive interference
• Retroactive interference
• Retrieval failure due to absence of cues

Question 2

What is proactive interference? Give an example including phone numbers.

Answer 2

When old information stored in the LTM interferes with the learning of new information e.g. when you get a new phone number, the memory of your old number will disrupt your attempts at trying to remember you new number

Question 3

What is retroactive interference? Give an example including phone numbers.

Answer 3

When the learning of new information interferes with the recall of old information from LTM e.g. once you have learnt your new phone number, it will be difficult to remember your old one.

Question 4

What is retrieval failure due to absence of cues?

Answer 4

When information cannot be retrieved due to the absence of cues to trigger memory.

Question 4

Explain the 2 types of retrieval failure due to absence of cues?

Answer 4

Context-dependent failure - When environmental cues are missing to trigger memory
State-dependent failure - When an individual’s emotional state is different whilst trying to recall information.

Question 5

Explain the study that examined the effect of proactive interference on LTM

Answer 5

Keppel and Underwood
Aim - To examine the effect of proactive interference on LTM

Method - Similar to Peterson and Peterson. Participants were presented with 3-consonant nonsense syllables called trigrams at different intervals. To prevent rehearsal, participants had to count backwards in 3’s before recalling

Results - Participants normally remembered the trigrams that were presented first, regardless of the interval length

Conclusion - The results suggested that proactive interference occurred because the memory of the previous trigrams were stored in the LTM and interfered with the memory of the new trigrams.