explanations for forgetting ; interference

Question 1

pro active interference

Answer 1

old memory integers with a newer one , for example your teacher has learned so many names in the past that she has difficulty remembering the names of her current class

Question 1

retroactive interference

Answer 1

happens when answer memory integers with an older one , for example your teacher learned so many new names this year she has difficulty remembering the names of the students last year

Question 2

McGeoch and McDonald 1931
aim

Answer 2

if similarity affects memory of words

Question 3

McGeoch and McDonald 1931
procedure

Answer 3

McGeoch and McDonald studied retroactive interference by changing the amount of similarity between two sets of materials . participants had to learn a list of 10 words until they could remember them with 100% accuracy . they then learned a new list. there were six groups of participants who had to learn different types of lists
1- synonyms
2- antonyms
3- words unrelated to original
4- consonant syllables
5- three digit numbers
6- no new list

Question 4

McGeoch and McDonald 1931
findings

Answer 4

when the participants recalled the original list of words , their performance depended on the nature of the second list. the most similar material produced the worst recall. shows that interference is strongest when the memories are similar .

Question 5

strength
evidence from lab studies

Answer 5

one of the most consistently demonstrated findings in the whole of psychology
thousands of lab exp carried out incl McGeoch and McDonald 1931.
most of these studies show both types of interference are very likely to be common ways we forget information from LTM.
STRENGTH BC lab control the effects of irrelevant influences and thus give us confidence that interference is a valid explanation for atlas some forgetting

Question 6

weakness
artificial materials

Answer 6

stimulus = word lists , ps need to learn
learning word lists is more realistic then learning consonant syllables but is different to what we learn in every day life ie birthdays, faces,fav foods
limitation bc the use of artificial tasks makes interference much more likely in lab , and therefore interference may not be as likely as an explanation for forgetting in everyday life as it is the lab

Question 7

strength
real life studies

Answer 7

Badly and Hitch 1977 asked rugby players to remember the names of the teams they had played so far in that season week by week.results showed that accurate recall did not depend on how long ago the match took place more important factor was the amount of games they played in the meantime . players recall of a team from three weeks ago was better if they played no matches since then.
shows that interference explanations can apply to at least some everyday situations .