Explanations of forgetting

Question 1

What are the 2 explanations of forgetting?

Answer 1

1. Retroactive & proactive interference
2. Retrieval failure due to absence of cues

Question 2

Assumption of retroactive & proactive interference?

give an example?

Answer 2

• As new info learnt, cognitive connections get confused if info is similar to old info we already know
• This interferes with memory recall leading to forgetting

e.g. get a new phone number, it takes you time to remember the new number as old phone number is interfering with memory of the new number

07519197357 (new) — 07702115141 (old) —
can’t remember new because of the old

Question 3

What are the 2 types of interference in LTM?

Answer 3

• Retroactive
• Proactive

Question 4

Explain proactive interference?

Give an example?

Answer 4

• Previous memories interfere with recent similar memories
• What you already know interferes with new material we are trying to currently learn
• Leads to greater forgetting
• e.g. Struggling to drive automatic car because you learnt in a manual car

Question 5

Explain retroactive interference?

Give an example?

Answer 5

• Recent memories interfere with previous similar memories
• New current learning interferes with existing/old knowledge
• Leads to greater forgetting
• e.g. Can’t remember old phone number because new number has replaced it in memory

Question 6

AO3 retro & pro
Research support?
Baddeley & Hitch (1977)

Answer 6

P - research evidence to support Baddeley & Hitch (1977)
E - Found rugby plyers who played most games forgot proportionately more games than those who played fewer games
E - Results support idea of retroactive interference (recent memories interfere with previous similar memories)
L - Shows how the explanation clearly leads to forgetting

Question 7

AO3 retro & pro
Artificial lab experiments?

Answer 7

P - Research evidence often comes from artificial lab experiments
E - Lab experiments have an artificial task e.g. learning word lists in artificial settings is not reflective of real life situations
E - So experiments (lab exp.) have low ecological validity - give rise to demand characteristics
L - Implies proactive & retroactive interference lacks credible research support

Question 8

AO3 retro & pro
Reductionist?

Answer 8

P - Can be considered reductionist, fails to consider other valid explanations of forgetting
E - e.g. forgetting due to absence of cues
- There is extensive research to support forgetting arises as the cues are not available to for recall that were present at encoding
E - So retro & pro fail to explain the whole explanation of forgetting comprehensively
L - Means interference offers an incomplete explanation of forgetting

Question 9

AO3 retro & pro
Practical applications?

Answer 9

P - Retro & pro have useful practical applications
E - It can help us explain (& prevent) forgetting on revision notes
E - People will revise differently for different subjects so there will be no interference/overlap will cancel out
L - So understanding about retro & pro can be useful to society in maintaining memories

Question 10

Explain retrieval failure due to absence of cues?

Answer 10

• Forgetting arises as cues aren’t available for recall that were present during encoding
• Forgetting is an accessibility issue

Question 11

2 assumptions of retrieval failure due to absence of cues?

Answer 11

• Memory trace laid down & retained in memory store through perception of an event & its surroundings (e.g. sound, colours, events at your birthday parts) i.e. encoding
• These will acts as retrieval cues (red carpet at party), piece of info in individuals cognitive environment at time of encoding that matches time of recall
• If these cues are not present we will forget original memory

Question 12

Explain Tulving’s specificity principle?

Answer 12

• Greater the dissimilarity between encoding event & retrieval event, greater likelihood of forgetting original memory
• Due to confusion of info

Question 13

3 types of cues?

C
S
O

Answer 13

1. Absence of context cues
2. Absence of state cues
3. Absence of organisational cues

Question 14

Absence of context cues?

Answer 14

• External retrieval cues
• Occurs when external environment is different at recall vs at encoding (when memory first made)

Question 15

Absence of state cues?

Answer 15

• Internal retrieval cues
• Occurs when internal environment is different at recall vs at encoding

Question 16

Absence of organisational cues?

Answer 16

• Recall is improved if cognitive organisation gives a structure which provides triggers
  e.g. categories, time events

Question 17

AO3 absent cues
Research support?
Godden & Baddeley (1975)

Answer 17

P - Retrieval failure due to absence of cues has research support
E - Godden & Baddeley (1975) conducted a scuba diving study
- 18 divers memorised 36 unrelated 2/3 syllable words
- 1 condition (beach), 2nd condition (underwater)
-Half of each condition then recalled in opposite environment whilst other half stayed put
E - Recall environment dry: 37%, wet: 32%
L - Showed external context acted as a cue, & that Pt’s recalled more from the same environment they encoded the words in

Question 18

AO3 absent cues
Alternative explanations?
Repression (Freud)

Answer 18

P - Retrieval failure due to absence of cues only appears to offer explanation of some situations when people forget
E - Does not explain repression (Freudian concept), emotionally threatening events are banished to unconscious mind, preventing anxiety
E - This is known as motivated forgetting, although no consciously aware it happens
L - Implies alternative explanations & that absence of cues explanation does not explain all forgetting scenarios

Question 19

AO3 absent cues
Practical applications?

Answer 19

P - Useful practical applications helping us to prevent & explain forgetting
E - Crimewatch recreates crimes & the reconstruction acts as queues for potential witnesses
E - Especially context cues (external environment) i.e. car colour, person, etc
L - Retrieval failure due to absence of cues has been helpful to society at large in preventing crime & making society safer

Question 20

AO3 absent cues
Can explain everyday experiences of memory?
‘Tip of tongue’ experience

Answer 20

P - Absence of cues can help explain everyday experience of memory e.g. tip of tongue experience
E - When you experience ‘tip of tongue’ you know when you know it but a cue is needed to retrieve the LTM
E - For example ‘What’s the name of that footballer that plays for Man Utd’ - needs a cue of the a state cue (internal) of the players image to remember the name
L - Retrieval failure due to absence of cues has an element of real-world application as an explanation of forgetting as it makes logical sense on a surface level