explanations of forgetting

Question 1

when does interference occur ?

Answer 1

when one memory disrupts the ability to recall another

Question 2

explain proactive interference

Answer 2

• causes forgetting of new information
• prior learning what we already know distrupts the ability to recall current new learning

Question 3

what did keppel and underwood research

Answer 3

proactive interference

Question 4

explain keppel and underwoods research

Answer 4

• participants were presented with trigrams and asked to recall them after differnt time intervals
• to prevent rehersal during the time interval, participants were asked to count back in three’s
• results found that participants forgot the triagrams which appeared at the end of the list regardless of the interval time delay

Question 5

what did keppel and underwood’s research suggest about interference ?

Answer 5

• old learning had interfered with the recall of the new most recent trigrams
• the participants forgot the new information, supporting proactive interference

Question 6

explain retroactive interference

Answer 6

• causes forgetting of old information
• current new learning distrupts the ability to recall prior learning and what we already know

Question 7

what did McGeoch and McDonald investigate ?

Answer 7

retroactive interference

Question 8

explain McGeoch and McDonald’s research

Answer 8

• participants were asked to learn a list of words untill they could recite them perfectly
• participants were then divided into 6 groups, 5 of which were asked to learn another set of interfering information, and one controll group was asked to rest
• participants were then asked to recall the words from the first list

Question 9

In which condition did the most forgetting occur

Answer 9

synonyms

Question 10

what does McGeoch and McDonald’s research suggest about interference

Answer 10

• the more simular the information the easier it is forgotten
• as these words were learned first the old information was forgotten

Question 11

baddley and Hitch

interference

Answer 11

• investigated retroactive interference
• rugby players were asked to recall the names of opposing teams who recently played
• recall for the last played games were good despite the length of time since it had been played
• forgetting occured for naming teams in rugby teams who had frequently played and low recall for teams from early in the season
• when more simular info exists, more likely to be confused - players forgot the older teams due to new info

Question 12

strength of interference

supporting experimental

Answer 12

I: supporting evidence for the concepts within the interference theory of forgetting from experimental research
E: Keppel and underwoods study
C:demonstrates that interference is a valid explanation of memory

Question 13

strength of interference

supporting natural

Answer 13

I: further supporting evidence for the interference theory of forgetting from natural experience
E: baddley and hitch’s study
C: demonstrates interference is a valid explanation as it has strong supporting evidence supporting retroactive interference

Question 14

strength of interference

practical applications

Answer 14

I: practical applications in education based on research from interference theory forgetting
E: knowledge about how forgetting occurs can be used to try and prevent it.
to avoid forgetting in students, individuals should engage in regular practice of knowledge, and try to make the information appear as different as possible to stand out from other information, so the chance of memories becoming confused is reduced
C: demonstrates that research based on interference can help improve the lives of people in areas of education

Question 15

weakness of interference

limitations

Answer 15

I: limitations of the interference theory in explaining forgetting
E: whilst interference can explain many examples of forgetting, the theory does not adequatley explain the actual cognitive processes involved in forgettingor explain how much forgetting can soley be attributed to interference
C: alternative theories of forgetting may provide a more comprehensible account of forgetting

Question 16

what is retrival failure ?

Answer 16

• forgetting occurs due to the absence of cues.
• cues serve as a reminder of what we are trying to remember - as cues were encoded at the time of learning

Question 17

what is the encoding specificity principle

Answer 17

memory is most effective when information present at the time of encoding is also present at the time of retrieval

Question 18

what are the three types of cues

Answer 18

1. semantic cues
2. context-dependent cues
3. state-dependent cues

Question 19

what are semantic cues

Answer 19

• cues often have a meaningful link to information that is being learned
• forgetting occurs when the recall does not link to understanding at encoding

Question 20

explain Tulving and Perlson’s research procedure

Answer 20

• ppts were given worlds to learn that belonged to certain categories
• during recall stage one group were given the category heading and one group free recalled the words

Question 21

what was the findings of Tulving and Perlsons research

Answer 21

the free recall group forgot 90% of the words compared to the category heading group who forgot 40% of the words

Question 22

what did Tulving and Perlson conclude about their research

Answer 22

forgetting occurred due to the absence of category heading cues

Question 23

what are context dependent cues

Answer 23

• external cues such as the environment we were in at the time of learning can remind us of the material we learn
• forgetting occurs when recall in the environment is difficult to where learning took place at encoding

Question 24

explain Baddley’s procedure

Answer 24

• participants who were deep sea divers were asked to learn 36 words either on the beach or underwater
• they then recalled the words either on the beach or underwater

Question 25

explain Baddley’s findings

Answer 25

* only 23% of words were recalled when learning took place underwater and recalling took place on land * 37% of words were remembered when both leading and recall took place in the same location

Question 26

what are state dependent cues

Answer 26

* internal cues such as menta/ emotional state we were in at the time of learning, can remind us of the material we learnt * forgetting occurs when recall in psychological states are different to when learning took place at encoding

Question 27

explain Godwin’s procedure

Answer 27

* 48 male medical students were asked to learn words whilst they was either drunk or sober * they were then asked to recall the words in one of the states

Question 28

explain Goodwin’s findings

Answer 28

most forgetting occurred when participants were drunk at learning and sober at recall

Question 29

what did Goodwin conclude about his research

Answer 29

forgetting occurred due to the absence of physiological cues

Question 30

strength of retrieval failure | supporting exoerimental

Answer 30

I: supporting evidence for the concepts within the retrieval failure theory from experimental research E: Tulving and persons research C: demonstrates that the retrieval failure theory is a valid explanation of forgetting

Question 31

strength of retrival failure | practical education

Answer 31

I: practical applications in education based on research from the retrivsl failure theory E: knowledge of why forgetting occurs can be used to try and prevent it individuals need to ensure that cues present at learning are present at recall C: demonstrates that research based on retrival failure can help improve the lives of people in areas of education

Question 32

weakness of retrival failure | limitations

Answer 32

I: limitations of retrival failure in explaining forgetting E:esp difficult to scinetifically test, as the theory suggests a cue present at encoding and then absent at retrival causes forgetting, however its hard to controll whether the cue is actually present at encoding and at retrival. making establishing cause and effect difficult C: alternative theories may provide a more comprehensible account of forgetting