forgetting

Question 1

what are the 2 main theories, about why we forget? and describe them

Answer 1

1. decay theory:memory decays over time from our long-term memory.

2.retrieval failure: we forget, because we are unable to retrieve information from our long-term memory store.

Question 2

What is the interference theory?

Answer 2

when we fail to retrieve a memory, because another similar memory, interferes with the memory we are trying to retrieve.

Question 3

What is proactive interference?

Answer 3

when an old memory, interferes with retrieving a new, similar memory.

ex: I accidentally use my ex-girlfriends name, when talking to my new girlfriend.

Question 4

What is retroactive interference?

Answer 4

when a new memory, interferes with retrieving an older, similar memory.

Question 5

Which are the two main studies, which prove the interference theory?

Answer 5

underwood study, and underwood and postman study.

Question 6

What are the three main limitations of the interference theory?

Answer 6

1. Both underwood and underwood and postman were lab experiments.
2. Artificial task ( in experiments).
3. can’t explain forgetting memories which are not similar to one another.

Question 7

What is a retrieval cue?

Answer 7

They are prompts which we associate with a particular memory.

Question 8

State and describe the 3 stages which lead to a retrieval cue.

Answer 8

1. Encoding: When an experience is encoded in our memory, other things happen around us at the same time, which are also encoded in our memory.
2. A mental link is formed between the other things and the experience.
3. If we come across over some of those other things, then the mental link will be activated, and acts as a retrieval cue, which triggers the memory of the original experience.

Question 9

What are the two types of cues?

Answer 9

Internal and external.

Question 10

What is an external cue?

Answer 10

when things that we experience in the external world with our senses, act as retrieval cues.

Question 11

What is an internal cue?

Answer 11

when things that we think and feel, act as retrieval cues.

Question 12

What is cue dependant forgetting?

Answer 12

Theory that we forget, because we are unable to find a retrieval cue.

Question 13

What is cue overloading, and what effect does this have on memory recall?

Answer 13

Cue overloading is when a cue is related to too many memories.

This makes it less likely for you to retrieve a correct memory.

The more memories associated with one particular cue, the less effective for memory retrieval.

Question 14

How can we link interference theory, and cue-dependant forgetting.

Answer 14

If the two memories are very similar, they are likely to be associated with the same retrieval cue.

So if we use a retrieval cue, that is associated with both memories, in order to retrieve one memory, the we can end up accidentally retrieving the wrong memory.

Question 15

which studies show support of the cue-dependant forgetting?

Answer 15

1.GODDEN and Baddeley.

2. Tulving and Psotha.

Question 16

What are the two limitations of cue dependant forgetting?

Answer 16

1. All the studies took part in laboratory experiments.

2.internal cues, and external cues, can’t explain forgetting procedural memories
ex: drinking, waking, and eating.