Forgetting explanations - Interference + Eval

Question 1

What was forgetting first related to

Answer 1

gradual decay of memory over time

Question 2

What was forgetting then later related to

Answer 2

interference

Question 3

what are the two types of interference

Answer 3

• retroactive interference
• proactive interference

Question 4

what is retroactive interference

Answer 4

new learning interferes with our ability to recall previously held information

Question 5

retroactive interference - study M + P

Answer 5

Muller and Pilzecker (1900)

Question 6

Muller and Pilzecker (1900)

Answer 6

• participants remember nonsense syllables for 6 minutes
• retention interval
• then recall list
  -other condition - during interval (intervening task takes place - describing three pictures) worse results that other condition

Question 7

what is proactive interference

Answer 7

previous learning interferes with our ability to recall new learning

Question 8

proactive interference = U

Answer 8

Underwood (1957)

Question 9

Underwood (1957)

Answer 9

Participants learn word list
- 10 lists or more
- more they have to learn the less they can recall (20% recalled)
- less to learn - 1 list (70% recalled)

Question 10

what is the effect of the type of interfering task (McGeoch + McDonald)

Answer 10

• similarity of materials
• participants given 10 adjectives
• group A = another task to remember synonyms of adj
• group B = another task - nonsense numbers
  Group B better recall

Question 11

what is Availability / Accessibility

Answer 11

whether or not interference causes a memory to disappear or if the effects are temporary

available = if its even there to recall
access = if your able to recall at that time

Question 12

Ceraso (1967)

Answer 12

exposed participants to interference
- tested for availability - recall task
- tested for accessibility - recognition task
- post 24hrs - recognition (good) recall (bad)
- therefore info was temporarily inaccessible not permanently lost / unavailable

Question 13

Eval = good

Answer 13

• many psychologists studied - reliable
• Danaher et al = advertisers - ecological validity
• useful - applicable in real life

Question 14

Eval = bad

Answer 14

• most research is lab based - low mundane realism
• HOWEVER - ecological validity promoted by Danaher etc.
• doesn’t really account for how it variates between individuals - too simplistic less useful (reductionist)

Question 15

Supporting research (Postman 1960)
retroactive

Answer 15

paired words list
C1 = learn another list - second word = different
C2 = control no other task
results = C2 BETTER RECALL

Question 16

Supporting research
(Baddeley and Hitch 1977)
ecological

Answer 16

rugby club
- test recall ability to remember names of other clubs
- all players playing since season start however EV - injury - played less
- those who faced more opponents = no injury recalled wore than those who played less