forgetting- interference

Question 1

interference theory

Answer 1

when 2 pieces of info conflict with each other, causing 1 or both to be distorted or forgotten

Question 2

proactive

Answer 2

old memory interferes with new memory

Question 3

retroactive

Answer 3

new memory interferes with old memory

Question 4

underwood and postman study- retroactive support

Answer 4

lab experiment- ppts learned a list of paired words. experimental group learned a second list with the same first words, while control group did not. recall was better for control group= support for retroactive

Question 5

underwood study- proactive support

Answer 5

examined proactive interference over 24 hr periods. ppts who learned 50 words lists recalled only 20% of the last list after a day, compared to 80% with no prior lists= proactive impaired recall of later ones

Question 6

weakness- low ecological validity

Answer 6

interference effects seem greater in artificial settings (study) than real life, so it may not be applicable to everyday memory processes

Question 7

strength- high validity

Answer 7

thousands of lab studies carried out on this theory- lab exp control effects of irrelevant influences and variables= sure to be valid

Question 8

weakness- partial explanation

Answer 8

only explains forgetting when 2 sets of info are close together in time= struggles to explain many day to day examples of forgetting

Question 9

strength- practical application

Answer 9

there is evidence for interference existing in real world settings- may struggle to remember french if you start learning german later