Interference Theory

Question 1

What is the explanation for forgetting?

Answer 1

Failure to retrieve memories from the long term store.
This may be due to: 1) Interference or 2) Retrieval failure

Question 2

What is the Interference Theory:

Answer 2

Interference occurs when one set of information COMPETES with another, causing it to be ‘overwritten’ or destroyed.

Question 3

What are the two types of interference?

Answer 3

Proactive Interference and Retroactive Interference

Question 4

What is proactive interference? + example

Answer 4

Proactive Interference is when old information impairs the learning and retention of new information.
For example, when you get a new mobile phone, you may find it difficult to text because you are still applying your old phone’s texting system, as the new information is being interfered with, causing it to be overwritten/destroyed.

Question 5

What is retroactive interference? + example

Answer 5

Retroactive Interference is when new information impairs the retention of the old information, causing the old information to be overwritten/destroyed.
For example, if you move house and change telephone number, you will soon find that the new number replaces the old.

Question 6

What is the effect of similarity?

Answer 6

Interference is more likely when two lots of information are similar (either semantically or acoustically)

Question 7

What was the METHOD of the Postman (1960) Evidence of retroactive interference?

Answer 7

Two groups had to learn a list of paired words. (e.g cat-tree). The experimental group had to learn another lst of words where the second paired word is different, such as cat-glass. The control group were not given the second list.

Question 8

What were the FINDINGS of Postman (1960) Evidence of retroactive interference?

Answer 8

The recall of the first list was higher in the control group than the experimental group.

Question 9

What was the CONCLUSION of Postman (1960) Evidence of retroactive interference?

Answer 9

This experiment was an example of retroactive interference, as new information impairs the retention of old information.
More interference leads to more forgetting.

Question 10

More interference leads to?

Answer 10

More forgetting.

Question 11

Who were the psychologists to find supporting evidence for the role of similarity in interference?

Answer 11

McGeoch and McDonald

Question 12

What did McGeoch and McDonald do?

Answer 12

They had different groups of participants learn two lists of words.

Question 13

What were the differences between the two groups of participants in McGeoch and McDonald’s experiment?

Answer 13

For one group of participants, the second list consisted of synonyms of the first list.
Whereas for another group, the second list consisted of nonsense syllables (e.g., GVX, HRE).

Question 14

What did McGeoch and McDonald find in their experiment of similarity in interference?

Answer 14

They found that recall of the first list was higher in the group where the second list consisted of nonsense syllables - 26% accuracy.
Whereas the group where the second list consisted of synonyms to the first list had a 12% accuracy.

Question 15

How are the findings of McGeoch and McDonald a strength?

Answer 15

This is a strength because it shows that the Interference Theory is correct in arguing that when there is more similarity between interference, there is a higher chance of interference.

This increases the validity of the INTERFERENCE THEORY.

Question 16

What was the name of the psychologist that researched the effects of interference within a short time period?

Answer 16

Danaher et al

Question 17

What did Danaher et al find?

Answer 17

That both recall and recognition of an advertiser’s message were impaired when participants were exposed to two adverts from competing brands spontaneously within a week.

Question 18

One strength of the Interference Theory is that there is supporting evidence for the role of similarity in interference.

Answer 18

McGeoch and McDonald (1931) had different groups of participants learn 2 lists of words.
For one group of participants, the second list consisted of synonyms of the first list.
For another group, the second list consisted of nonsense syllables (e.g GVX, HRE)
They found that the recall of the first list was higher in the group where the second list consisted of nonsense syllables - 26% accuracy.
Whereas the group where the second list consisted of synonyms of the first list - 12% accuracy.

This is a strength because it shows that the interference theory is correct in arguing that when there is more similarity between interference, there is a higher chance of interference.

This increases the validity of the interference theory.

Question 19

Another strength of the Interference Theory is that it has practical applications to the real world, such as advertising.

Answer 19

Danaher et al (2008) found that both recall and recognition of an advertiser’s message were impaired when participants are exposed to two adverts from competing brands sporadically throughout the week.Danaher et al suggests that based on our understanding of the interference theory, to improve memory of the message, run multiple exposures to an ad in one day in order to reduce interference, rather than spread out messages sporadically over the week.

This is a strength because it shows how the understanding of interference can prevent forgetting in real life environments and thus is not purely theoretical, but actually has practical use.

As a result, the interference theory increases in utility.

Question 20

A weakness of the interference theory is that the research it is based on is artificial.

Answer 20

Much of the research evidence for interference theory has come from artificial laboratory experiments. Interference studies use special conditions, e.g word pair stimuli are generated for the purpose of the experiment. These conditions are very rare in day-to-day life, therefore the research can’t apply to everyday life.

This is a weakness because it limits the ecological validity of support research

Question 21

Another weakness of the interference theory is that it is not a complete explanation of forgetting.

Answer 21

Interference effects may actually be temporary rather than a permanent form of forgetting.
Ceraso (1967) found that if memory was tested again 24 hours, recognition showed considerable spontaneous recovery. (i.e participants were now able to recognise words that they seemed to have forgotten). This suggests that interference occurs because memories are temporarily not accessible rather than actually being lost.

This is a weakness because it shows that unlike what the theory argues, interference can only explain temporary forgetting, not permanent forgetting, thus presenting the IT as INCOMPLETE, meaning the theory decreases in validity.