Explanations for forgetting Flashcards
What is interference?
Forgetting because one memory blocks another, causing one or both memories to be lost
What is retroactive interference?
Forgetting occurs because newer memories displace old memories which are already stored
What is proactive interference?
Forgetting occurs because older memories which are already stored disrupt the recall of newer memories
What is the interference theory?
Based on the idea that two pieces of information conflict which is usually in the LTM. The LTM is permanent so it is access that makes memory unavailable.
Interference between memories makes it harder to locate and results in forgetting
Outline McGeoch and McDonald’s (1931) method for interference study
They studied retroactive interference by changing the amount of similarity between two sets of materials until 100% accurate and then they learned a new list
What were the results of McGeoch and McDonald’s study?
When recalled original list of words, performance depended on nature of second list.
Most similar materials (synonyms) produced worst recall. Showing interferences strongest when memories are similar
What was Burke and Skrull’s (1988) research?
Magazine ads were used to recall detail
Found some differences as some recalled earlier ads while other recalled later ones
Effects greater when ads were similar
What are some evaluative points for the interference theory?
- Artificial material
- Real life applications
- The time between learning and recall is short in experiments which may not be the case in real life
- Interference may be overcome using cues
What are the two explanations for forgetting?
Retrieval failure
Interference
What is retrieval failure?
A form of forgetting that occurs when we don’t have the necessary cues to access memory
What is a cue?
A ‘trigger’ of information that allows us to access a memory.
What did Tulving suggest about encoding specificity principle? (1983)
Suggested that if a cue is to help, it must be presented at encoding and retrieval
Outline Golden and Baddeley’s research into context-dependent forgetting (1975)
Deep sea divers working underwater were given a list of words either on land or underwater then they had to recall them either on land or underwater.
The results were 40% lower recall in non-matching conditions, resulting in retrieval failure
Outline Carter and Cassidy’s research into state-dependent forgetting (1998)
Gave antihistamines to participants (mild sedative)
In a different physiological state they must learn a list of words and phrases.
Mismatching produced the worst results, when cues are absent there is more forgetting
