Explanations for Forgetting: Interference Flashcards
What is interference in memory?
Forgetting because one memory blocks another, causing one or both to be distorted or forgotten.
What is proactive interference (PI)?
When an older memory interferes with the recall of a newer memory. Example: Struggling to learn new names because of old ones.
What is retroactive interference (RI)?
When a newer memory interferes with the recall of an older memory. Example: Learning new names makes it harder to remember past students’ names.
When is interference most likely to occur?
When the two memories are similar.
What was the aim of McGeoch and McDonald’s study?
To investigate the effect of similarity on retroactive interference.
What was the procedure of McGeoch and McDonald’s study?
Participants learned a list of 10 words to 100% accuracy, then learned a second list that varied in similarity (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, numbers).
What did McGeoch and McDonald find in their study?
The most interference occurred when the second list was most similar (i.e. synonyms), showing similarity increases interference.
What conclusion can be drawn from this study?
Interference is stronger when memories are similar, supporting interference theory.
What is competitive interference in advertising?
When similar adverts interfere with each other in memory, making it hard to recall earlier or later ads (Burke & Skrull, 1988).
How did Baddeley and Hitch (1977) test interference in real life?
Asked rugby players to recall teams they played. Found recall depended more on number of games played, not time passed.
What does the rugby study suggest about interference?
Interference, not just passage of time, is a valid explanation for forgetting in real-life situations.
What is a strength of interference theory based on lab studies?
Lab experiments (e.g., McGeoch & McDonald) provide high control over variables, giving reliable evidence for interference.
What is a limitation of using artificial materials in interference studies?
Word lists don’t reflect everyday memory tasks, limiting ecological validity.
Why is short time between learning lists a limitation in lab studies?
In real life, learning is often spaced out, not within minutes, so lab findings may exaggerate interference.
What did Tulving and Psotka (1971) discover about interference and cues?
Participants who were cued with category names recalled 70% of words, even after learning multiple lists.
What does Tulving & Psotka’s study suggest?
Interference effects can be overcome with cues, supporting interference theory but also suggesting accessibility, not availability, may be the issue.
