Forgetting - Interference

Question 1

Interference

Answer 1

When one piece of information gets in the way of the retrieval of another piece of information because they’re similar.

Question 2

Proactive interference

Answer 2

when old information interferes with the retrieval of new information

Question 3

retroactive interference

Answer 3

When new information interferes with the retrieval of old information.

Question 4

Retroactive examples

Answer 4

• being asked to give your old phone number for a document but being unable to recall it due to the interference of your new phone number.

Question 5

Proactive examples

Answer 5

• calling your new girlfriend by your old girlfriends name
• using french word “chien” instead of Spanish word “Perro” for dog due to prior learning of french.

Question 6

AO3 - STRENGTHS

Answer 6

• The more word lists participants had to learn, the worse their recall (20% for ten lists, compared to 70% for one list) - an example of proactive interference.
• McGeoch and McDonald: ppts given a list of adjectives (List A), then given a 10 minute resting interval (to ensure the words are learned). Ppts then given List B which was EITHER Synonyms of list A (12% recall of list A), nonsense syllabus (26% recall of list A) or numbers (36% recall of list A). Synonyms are very similar so led to the lowest recall.
• RWA: advertising schedules have been developed to ensure people do not get confused on objects being advertised as it costs so much to advertise.

Question 7

Evaluation negatives

Answer 7

• no actual explanation of why interference occurs as it only explains how and doesn’t include explanations as to the cognitive processes that take place, weak explanation.
• low ecological validity and mundane realism due to the unrealistic scenarios tested and the lab environment