Memory - Interference (Forgetting) Flashcards
What is forgetting?
Forgetting is when one memory blocks another, causing one or both memories to be distorted or forgotten.
What is proactive interference (PI)?
Proactive interference (PI) occurs when an older memory interferes with a newer one. For example, your teacher has learned so many names in the past that she has difficulty remembering the names of her current class.
What is retroactive interference (RI)?
Retroactive interference (RI) happens when a newer memory interferes with an older one. For example, your teacher has learned so many names this year that she has difficulty remembering the names of the students from last year.
How does similarity affect interference?
Interference is worse when memories or learning are similar. This was discovered by John McGeoch and William McDonald (1931) in a study where participants had to learn lists of words, with more similarity causing worse recall.
What is one evaluation point for interference theory?
Evidence from lab studies supports interference as an explanation for forgetting. For example, McGeoch and McDonald found that interference was stronger when memories were similar. Such controlled experiments increase the validity of the theory by demonstrating interference in a reliable and repeatable way.
What is another evaluation point for interference theory?
Artificial materials used in studies, such as word lists, may overemphasize interference effects. Real-life forgetting involves more complex and meaningful material, like people’s faces or events, which limits the ecological validity of lab findings.
What is a real-life application of interference theory?
Research by Baddeley and Hitch (1977) showed interference effects in rugby players. Players recalled the teams they had played against better if fewer games had occurred in the interim. This highlights interference as relevant in everyday memory, increasing its applicability.
What is a limitation of interference theory in real life?
Time between learning tasks may be longer in real life compared to lab experiments, reducing the frequency of interference. Tulving and Psotka (1971) found that giving participants cues reduced interference effects, suggesting forgetting is more often a retrieval failure than interference.
