Interference as an Explanation of Forgetting

Question 1

What are the 3 AO1s?

Answer 1

AO1 - Retroactive
AO1- Proactive
AO1- Postman n Underwood 1960

Question 2

AO1 - retroactive

Answer 2

conflict
forgetting/ distortion
similar
available
access
LTM
R for Recent
E.g. car reg.

Question 3

AO1 - proactive

Answer 3

P for Past
E.g. mobile number

Question 4

AO1 - Postman and Underwood 1960

Aim
Procedure
Findings
Conclusions

Answer 4

Aim: investigate if new learning interferes with previous learning (retroactive)

Procedure:
- 2 groups. Group A were asked to learn a list of word pairs e.g. cat, tree, they were then asked to learn a second different list of word pairs e.g. cat, glass.
-Group B learnt the first list of word pairs only. Both groups were asked to recall the first list of word pairs.
- Group B recall of the first list was more accurate than group A.
- 2nd list interfered w 1st
- Supports retroactive interference

Question 5

What are the 3 AO3s?

Answer 5

A03: not for all cases of forgetting (-)
A03: practical value rugby study (+)
A03: Keppel n Underwood 1957 (-) mundane

Question 6

A03: not for all cases of forgetting (-)

Answer 6

only account for the forgetting of similar information such as an inability to remember your old postcode because you have remembered the one for your new house, as opposed to dissimilar information

limited applicability wider context -> not soley -> must explore others -> minority of cases

Question 7

A03: practical value (+)

Answer 7

Baddeley and Hitch’s study (1977) supports retroactive interference, where the introduction of new rugby team names interfered with the recall of old team names

I+ev -> credibility -> explanatory -> predictions-> comprehensive -> academic arena

Question 8

AO3: Keppel n Underwood 1957 mundane realism (-)

Answer 8

Keppel and Underwood’s study (1957) concluded that when participants were asked to recall meaningless three letter trigrams, memory for the earlier consonants, which had transferred to long-term memory, was interfering with the memory for new consonants, due to the similarity of the information.

not refletive -> mundae -> insightful -> understand/ explain behaviour -> utility -> extend beyond realms of theoretical