Explanations for Forgetting

Question 1

What are the two explanations for forgetting?

Answer 1

Interference theory and cue dependent forgetting

Question 2

What is interference theory?

Answer 2

When two pieces of information conflict with each other resulting in the forgetting of one or both. It mainly explains forgetting in the LTM.

Question 3

What are the two different types of interference?

Answer 3

Proactive interference and retroactive interference

Question 4

What is proactive interference?

Answer 4

This occurs when information stored previously interferes with an attempt to recall something new. In other words past memories affect the storing of new memories

Question 5

What is retroactive interference?

Answer 5

This occurs when coding new information disrupts information stored previously. In other words storing new memories affects past memories that are stored

Question 6

Who investigated interference theory?

Answer 6

Postman

Question 7

What was the aim and method of Postman’s study?

Answer 7

To investigate how retroactive interference affects learning. Participants were split into two groups and both groups had to remember a list of paired words. The experimental group also had to learn another list of words where the second word was different. The control group were not given the second list. All participants were asked to recall the list

Question 8

What were the findings and conclusion of Postman’s study?

Answer 8

The recall of the control group was more accurate than that of the experimental group. This suggests that learning items in the second list interfered with participants ability to recall the list. This is an example of retroactive interference

Question 9

What can you use as evaluation for Postman’s study?

Answer 9

The strengths and limitations of a lab experiment

Question 10

What was the second study conducted on interference theory?

Answer 10

Baddeley and Hitch

Question 11

What was the aim and method of Baddeley and Hitch’s study?

Answer 11

To investigate interference theory in a real life situation. They got participants who had played a varying number of rugby union games to remember as many of the teams they had played against as possible. Interference theory was tested by assessing how recall was affected by the number of games played. He also investigated trace decay theory

Question 12

What were the findings and conclusion of Baddeley and Hitch’s study?

Answer 12

It was found that forgetting was due more to the number of games played rather than time passed between games. This suggests interference theory is a possible explanation for forgetting

Question 13

What is a strength of Baddeley and Hitch’s study?

Answer 13

As this was conducted in a real life situation, the findings are more ecologically valid than the majority of research in this area that tends to be conducted in labs

Question 14

What is a limitation of Baddeley and Hitch’s study?

Answer 14

Whilst this study shows interference to be a real effect, it does not identify the cognitive processes at work

Question 15

What is cue dependent forgetting?

Answer 15

It sees recall as dependent upon retrieval cues. When information is initially placed in memory, associated cues are stored at the same time. If this cues are not available at the time of recall it may make it appear as if you have forgotten the information but in fact this is due to retrieval failure not being able to access memories that are there

Question 16

What is Tulving explain?

Answer 16

He explained cue dependent forgetting as the encoding specificity principle, where recall is hindered if the context of recall to that at coding. If cues are to help us recall information, it has to be present when we are learning the material and when we are recalling it. If the cues are different there will be some forgetting

Question 17

What are the two types of cue dependent forgetting?

Answer 17

Context dependent failure and state dependent failure

Question 18

What is context dependent failure?

Answer 18

Occurs with external retrieval cues, with forgetting occurring when the external environment is different at recall from how it was in coding

Question 19

Who researched context dependent failure?

Answer 19

Golden and Baddeley

Question 20

What was the method of Godden and Baddeley’s study?

Answer 20

They got divers to learn material either on dry land or while underwater. There were four conditions.

1. Learn on land and recall on land
2. Learn on land and recall underwater
3. Learn underwater and recall on land
4. Learn underwater and recall underwater

Question 21

What were the findings and conclusion of Godden and Baddeley’s study?

Answer 21

Recall in conditions 2 and 3 where the external conditions were different was up to 40% worse. This supports context dependent failure as it demonstrates that the external environment should be the same at both coding and recall of information

Question 22

What is a strength of Godden and Baddeley’s study?

Answer 22

It provides support for the retrieval failure and therefore increases the validity of the explanation. This is especially true as it shows that retrieval failure occurs in real life situations as well as in lab conditions so it is now seen as the main reason for forgetting in the LTM

Question 23

What is a limitation of Godden and Baddeley’s study?

Answer 23

These findings only occurred when the divers had to free recall items. When given a recognition test the context based effect wasn’t seen suggesting that cue dependency can’t explain all forms of forgetting

Question 24

What is state dependent failure?

Answer 24

Occurs with internal retrieval cues, with forgetting occurring when an individual’s internal environment is dissimilar at recall to when information was coded

Question 25

What is the first study on state dependent failure?

Answer 25

Darley et al

Question 26

What did Darley et al do and find?

Answer 26

Participants who hid money while high on marijuana were less able to recall where the money was when they were not high than when they were high again. This provides support for the ability of state dependent failure as an explanation for forgetting

Question 27

What was the second study on state dependent failure?

Answer 27

Overton

Question 28

What did Overton do and find?

Answer 28

They found that participants who had learned material either when drunk or sober found that recall was worse on this who had a different mental state at coding and recall than those who had the same. This suggests that state dependent failure is a valid explanation for forgetting

Question 29

What are two strengths of state dependent failure?

Answer 29

The theory has practical applications which are related to cognition and improving memory and ability to recall information. Many psychologists now see cue dependent forgetting as the main reason for forgetting in the LTM due to the amount of research evidence