forgetting Flashcards
What is forgetting?
Forgetting refers to the inability to retrieve or recall previously stored information.
What are the two main explanations of forgetting in long-term memory?
Interference theory and retrieval failure due to absence of cues.
What is interference theory?
Interference occurs when two pieces of information conflict, causing forgetting or distortion of memory.
What are the two types of interference?
Proactive interference (PI) and retroactive interference (RI).
What is proactive interference (PI)?
Older memories disrupt the recall of newer memories.
What is retroactive interference (RI)?
Newer memories disrupt the recall of older memories.
Give an example of proactive interference.
Learning a new phone number but accidentally recalling the old one instead.
Give an example of retroactive interference.
Studying Spanish after French and struggling to recall French vocabulary.
What is retrieval failure?
A form of forgetting where information is stored in memory but cannot be accessed due to a lack of cues.
What are cues in memory retrieval?
Cues are stimuli that trigger the recall of information. They can be external (context-dependent) or internal (state-dependent).
What is the encoding specificity principle (ESP)?
Tulving (1983) suggested that if a cue is present at both encoding and retrieval, it aids recall.
How does retrieval failure differ from interference?
Retrieval failure suggests the memory is available but inaccessible; interference suggests the memory is lost or distorted due to competing information.
What was McGeoch and McDonald’s (1931) study on interference?
They found that interference is strongest when two sets of information are similar.
How does similarity affect interference?
The more similar the two pieces of information, the greater the interference, making recall harder.
What are strengths of interference theory?
✅ Supported by lab studies (e.g., McGeoch & McDonald)
✅ Real-world evidence (e.g., forgetting old passwords after setting a new one)
What are weaknesses of interference theory?
❌ Artificial tasks – Lab studies use word lists, which lack ecological validity.
❌ Doesn’t explain forgetting in all real-life situations.
What was Godden and Baddeley’s (1975) study on context-dependent forgetting?
Scuba divers learned and recalled words either underwater or on land. Recall was 40% lower when the context at recall was different from encoding.
What did Carter and Cassaday (1998) find about state-dependent forgetting?
Participants learned and recalled words under different conditions (on/off antihistamines). Memory was worse when the physiological state at recall was different from encoding.
Why does a mismatch between encoding and retrieval contexts cause forgetting?
If cues present at learning are missing at recall, retrieval failure occurs due to the absence of cues.
What are strengths of retrieval failure theory?
✅ Strong evidence from lab and real-world studies (Godden & Baddeley, Carter & Cassaday)
✅ Practical applications – Cognitive interview techniques help eyewitnesses recall by reinstating context.
What are weaknesses of retrieval failure theory?
❌ Context effects may be exaggerated – Real-world environments often have many retrieval cues.
❌ Does not account for all forgetting.
Which theory better explains forgetting, interference or retrieval failure?
Interference explains forgetting when memories compete; retrieval failure explains forgetting when cues are missing.
What type of forgetting is most relevant for everyday memory?
Retrieval failure is more applicable to real-world settings, as cues often aid memory recall.
How does stress impact forgetting?
High stress can impair retrieval by affecting the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
