Explanations for Forgetting: Interference

Question 1

What is interference?

Answer 1

When two pieces of information are in conflict

Question 2

Where does forgetting occur?

Answer 2

LTM

Question 3

What are the different types of interference?

Answer 3

• Proactive interference

- Retroactive interference

Question 4

What is proactive interference?

Answer 4

When older memories disrupt a newer one

Question 5

What is an retroactive interference?

Answer 5

When a newer memory disrupts an older one

Question 6

When may interference be worse?

Answer 6

When memories are similar

Question 7

Why may interference be worse when the memory is similar?

Answer 7

• Previously stored information makes new information difficult to store
• New information overwrites previous memories which are similar

Question 8

Who studied in to the effect of similarity to interference?

Answer 8

McGeoch and McDonald (1931)

Question 9

What was McGeoch and McDonald (1931) procedure?

Answer 9

• Participants learned a list to 100% accuracy
• Then given a second second list:
  
  • Group 1= synonyms
  • Group 2= antonyms
  • Group 3= unrelated
  • Group 4= consonant syllables
  • Group 5= three-digit numbers
  • Group 6= same list (control group)

Question 10

What was the findings of McGeoch and McDonald (1931)?

Answer 10

• Most similar words (Group 1= synonyms) has worse recall

- Vey different lists had a more accurate recall

Question 11

What was the conclusion of McGeoch and McDonald (1931)?

Answer 11

-Interference is stronger when the memories are similar

Question 12

Why is it a strength that lab studies have a consistency with interference effecting memory?

Answer 12

• Labs control the effects of extraneous variables
• Valid explanation
• High internal validity

Question 13

Why is research studies into interference using lists a limitation?

Answer 13

• Artificial material
• Doesn’t represent everyday life (e.g remembering people faces, birthdays)
• Makes interference much more likely in the studies
• Lack of generalisability

Question 14

What is an example of a real-life study into interference?

Answer 14

Baddeley and Hitch (1977) asked rugby players to recall the names of teams they had played as far in that season.

Question 15

What is important when talking about Baddeley and Hitch’s study in 1977?

Answer 15

That they were really looking at the number of match’s played not how long ago the match took place

Question 16

Why is time provided in researchers a limitation to the interference explanation?

Answer 16

As they only give a short amount of time, which does not show how we learn and remember most information in real life

Question 17

Why is cues overcoming interference a limitation?

Answer 17

-As it suggest that interference doesn’t have as big of an influence in our overall forgetting and that the information is still there

Question 18

Who showed that interference came be overcome by cues?

Answer 18

Tucking and Psotka (1971)

Question 19

What did Tuvling and Psotka (1971) find?

Answer 19

That memories of words are stored in LTM but interference prevents access. Yet when a cue, it is easier to remember forgotten word