Explanations of forgetting Flashcards
What are the 2 explanations of forgetting?
- Retroactive & proactive interference
- Retrieval failure due to absence of cues
Assumption of retroactive & proactive interference?
give an example?
- 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
What are the 2 types of interference in LTM?
- Retroactive
- Proactive
Explain proactive interference?
Give an example?
- 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
Explain retroactive interference?
Give an example?
- 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
AO3 retro & pro
Research support?
Baddeley & Hitch (1977)
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
AO3 retro & pro
Artificial lab experiments?
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
AO3 retro & pro
Reductionist?
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
AO3 retro & pro
Practical applications?
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
Explain retrieval failure due to absence of cues?
- Forgetting arises as cues aren’t available for recall that were present during encoding
- Forgetting is an accessibility issue
2 assumptions of retrieval failure due to absence of cues?
- 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
Explain Tulving’s specificity principle?
- Greater the dissimilarity between encoding event & retrieval event, greater likelihood of forgetting original memory
- Due to confusion of info
3 types of cues?
C
S
O
- Absence of context cues
- Absence of state cues
- Absence of organisational cues
Absence of context cues?
- External retrieval cues
- Occurs when external environment is different at recall vs at encoding (when memory first made)
Absence of state cues?
- Internal retrieval cues
- Occurs when internal environment is different at recall vs at encoding
Absence of organisational cues?
- Recall is improved if cognitive organisation gives a structure which provides triggers
e.g. categories, time events
AO3 absent cues
Research support?
Godden & Baddeley (1975)
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
AO3 absent cues
Alternative explanations?
Repression (Freud)
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
AO3 absent cues
Practical applications?
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
AO3 absent cues
Can explain everyday experiences of memory?
‘Tip of tongue’ experience
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
