M2- Memory L8

Question 1

What is the Interference theory?

Answer 1

Claims that forgetting occurs when two lots of info become confused in memory.

Question 2

What factors affect how likely interference is to occur?

Answer 2

More likely to occur = when the two lots of information are similar to one another
Less likely to occur= when there is a gap between the instances of learning.

Question 3

Define forgetting

Answer 3

The term forgetting is used to refer to a person’s loss of ability to recall or recognise something that they have previously learned.

Question 4

What is retroactive interference?

Answer 4

When new learning affects the recall of old info

Question 5

What is proactive interference?

Answer 5

When old learning affects the recall of new info

Question 6

Evaluation of interference theory - strengths

Answer 6

+ Underwood (1957) investigated proactive interference- participants who learned 10 lists of words= recall 20% of the words from first list, next day. Participants who learned 1 list of words= recall over 70% of the words the next day.

+ McGeoch and McDonald (1931) demonstrated retroactive interference. Gave participants lists of words that they had to learn until they could recall them with 100% accuracy. Participants then learned a new list. New list was either synonyms or antonyms. Participants then asked to remember the original list. Participants given the list of synonyms had the worst recall ->Learning two lists of words that have the same meaning would cause interference.

+ This theory has practical applications. Students should be made aware of this theory so that they do not attempt to revise similar content/subjects at the same time, as this will make interference more likely to occur.

Question 7

Evaluation of Forgetting Interference- Weaknesses

Answer 7

• interference= not true explanation for forgetting (info is not actually over-written and still in LTM) When interference occurs , loss of info may just be temporary
• Most lab studies lack ecological validity- use unrealistic material (lists of words), irl we rarely remember lists of words.
• Some psychologists argue retrieval failure is better explanation of forgetting in everyday life than interference. This theory states that we forget when there are not enough retrieval cues to help us remember.
  Godden and Baddeley (1975): got divers to learn and recall word lists on dry land or underwater.
  Words learnt and recalled in same context better remembered due to retrieval cues in environment to help them remember words