forgetting Flashcards
what are the two main explanations of forgetting?
Interference including proactive and retroactive interference.
retrieval failure due to lack of cues.
What is the interference theory for forgetting ?
The interference theory for forgetting is that it occurs in the LTM because two memories are in conflict and this might results in forgetting or distorting one or both of the memories.
there are two types of interference
Proactive interference- When an old memory interferes with the forming if a new memory
Retroactive interference- when a new memory disrupts/interferes with old memories.
Research support for interference
One study that supports interference is the McGeoch and McDonald (1931) study. Participants all had to learn a list of words till they where 100% accurate and then are split into 6 groups and learn a second list which is the interference task. The 6 lists are varied in how the relate to the first list.
Group 1- synonyms
Group 2- Antonyms
Group 3- Unrelated words
group 4-Nonsense syllables
Group 5- 3 digits
group 6-no new list
they then got them to recall words from the original list
They found that the control group had the highest recall rates followed by the numbers group while the synonyms had the lowest recall rate.
This is because numbers where not similar to the first list but synonyms where suggesting interference affects forgetting.
Evaluation of interference explanation for forgetting
+) It is supported by lab studies which have good internal validity and are easily repeatable.
+) Realistic studies such as Baddeley and Hitch’s study support interference as well. They asked rugby players to remember the names if teams the played earlier in the seasons with injuries and other factored leading to different amounts of time since they last played but they found that the number of matches in-between affects recall supporting interference in everyday situations.
- ) Lab study’s have low ecological validity and may exaggerate the role of interference.
- ) Lab experiments are limited tome wise so the gaps in-between learning and recall are as short as twenty minutes so doesn’t really look at the LTM possibly exaggerating the effects of interference.
- )research support shows the use of cues can overcome interference suggesting the memories are still stored in the LTM.
What is the retrieval failure due to lack of cues explanation for forgetting.
This theory argues that information that is often stored in the LTM is often not able to be retrieved due to a lack of cues.
When information is placed in our memories cues associated with it are stored at the same time and these cues are often needed to recall the memory.
What is the encoding specificity principle?
The encoding specificity principle made by Tulving in 1983, suggests that cues will help retrieval if the same cues where present at encoding and retrieval. The closer the retrieval cue to the original due the more effective the cue.
There are two types of cues.
Cues which are linked to information in a meaningful way. Such as STM being a cue for facts about the short term memory.
Cues which are linked to the context in which the learning occurs. Such as the weather being the same and mental state being the same, the cue is not meaningfully linked to the memory but still acts as a cue.
Research support for the encoding specificity principle
One study that supports this is the Tulving and Pearlstone study, they got 48 participants to recall 48 words belonging to one of 12 categories and when each word was presented it was preceded by its category such as gem-diamond. The categories acted as cues if they where present then recall was at 60% but without them the recall rate fell to 40%. .
Research support for context dependent forgetting. (When context differences effects recall)
A study was Abernathy’s study in 1940, he arranged for students to be tested prior to a course beginning, afterwards they where tested weekly but put in 4 groups.
1-tested in the same room with the same instructor
2- tested in the same room as they learnt in but different instructor
3- tested in different rooms but same instructor
4- tested in a different room with a different instructor.
The results showed that group 1 did the best which showed context cues such as the rooms and the instructor acted as cues for the students. Although Abernathy found that “able” students here the least effected by the changes while the less “able” students where the most affected.
Another study was the Godden and Baddeley study, they got 18 divers to learn a lost of 36 unrelated words of two to three syllables. There here 4 conditions for learning and recall.
Learn on the beach and recall on the beach
Learn on the beach recall underwater
Learn underwater and recall on the beach
Learn underwater and recall underwater.
The groups who leant and recalled in the same place did the best which Laos shows context plays a large part in recall, which are non linked cues.
Evaluation for context dependent forgetting.
-) Baddeley argues that context effects aren’t very strung in real life as the contexts must be very different for context effects to be seen which doesn’t normally happen in real life. So context cues may not effects forgetting that much in real life.
+) Arbernathy’s study however proved that context cues effects forgetting in real life.
-) context forgetting may also depend on the type of memory being tested as when the experiment was repeated but participant didn’t have to recall words just recognise words read to them no difference between groups.
State dependent forgetting ( when mood differences or psychological state differences effect recall) research support.
On study is the Carter and Cassaday study in 1998, they have participants any histamines which made them feel slightly drowsy. They then had to learn a list of words and passages if information then recall them.there where 4 groups in the study.
1- learnt and recalled while on the drug and thus drowsy
2-had to learn not on the drug and recall when on the drug
3- learn and recall not on the drug
4- learn on the drug and recall when not on the drug.
The results show that when the internal states matched for learning and recall the recall rates where higher. This shows that when internal cues are absent forgetting is more likely
Evaluation of retrieval failure explanation for forgetting
+) there is a wide range of research support with lab studies and real studies which show retrieval failure as leading to forgetting. Thus suggests the explanation is valid
+) the concept of context dependent cues has real life applications in fields such as education or in witness interviews.
- ) retrieval cues don’t always work since our learning is related to a lot more then just cues. Studies supporting it focus on word lists or passages so it may not be ecologically valid.
- ) it is difficult to test encoding specificity principle as we don’t know if cues are meaningful to individuals or not and how they are encoded during learning. So you can’t prove what cues enhanced learning.
