Explanations for forgetting: interference

Question 1

interference

definition

Answer 1

forgetting when one memory blocks another causing one or both memories to be distorted or forgotten

Question 2

Types of interference

List

Answer 2

• Proactive interference (PI)

- Retroactive interference (RI)

Question 3

Proactive interference (PI)

Answer 3

└older memories disrupt newer memories

└more forgetting if memories are similar

Question 4

Retroactive interference (RI)

Answer 4

└newer memories disrupt older memories

└more forgetting if memories are similar

Question 5

Effects of similarity study

Person

Answer 5

McGeoch and Mcdonald (1931)

Question 6

Effects of similarity study

Answer 6

Procedure 
└studied retroactive interference 
└6 groups of participants- learn list of 10 words, then learned new list 
└synonyms
└antonyms
└unrelated words
└nonsense syllables 
└three-digit numbers 
└no-new list
Findings 
└participants recalled original list
└worst recall= synonyms 
└interference strongest when similar

Question 7

Explanations for forgetting: interference
Strengths
Summary

Answer 7

• Evidence from lab studies: McGeoch and Mcdonald (1931)

- Real-life studies: Baddeley and Hitch (1977), Burke and Skrull (1988)

Question 8

Explanations for forgetting: interference
Strengths
Evidence from lab studies

Answer 8

└thousands of lab experiments studying interference
└e.g. McGeoch and Mcdonald (1931)
└studies show both types of interference are common ways for forgetting information from LTM
└lab experiments have high control, increases validity

Question 9

Explanations for forgetting: interference
Strengths
Real-life studies

Answer 9

└Alan Baddeley and Graham Hitch (1977)
└wanted to find out if interference was a better explanation than the passage of time
└asked rugby players to remember the names of the teams they have played so far in that season each week
└most players missed games so the lays team they played was weeks ago
└results showed accurate recall depended upon number of matches played between than how long ago the matches took place
└shows interference can explain some interference in everyday situations
└Burke and Skrull (1988)
└study of competitive interference

Question 10

Explanations for forgetting: interference

Limitations

Answer 10

Artificial materials
└stimulus is usually a list of words to remember
└more realistic than learning lists of consonant syllables
└different from what we learn on an everyday basis e.g. faces, birthdays
└makes interference more likely in a lab