Theories for forgetting Flashcards
What is interference?
When two SIMILAR memories get in the way of each other
What is proactive interference?
When old memories prevent the recall of new memories
What is retroactive interference?
When new memories block old memories
Which study illustrates proactive interference?
Underwood - When asked to remember 10 or more lists, after 24 hours, the average recall was 20% if each list. If they only learnt one list recall was 70%.
Which study illustrates retroactive interference?
Muller - Gave people a list of nonsense syllables for 6 minutes, then asked them to describe 3 landscape paintings. They forgot the syllables, this shows RI.
What is retrieval failure?
The failure to withdraw LTM due to lack of cues
What is the encoding specificity principle?
The more cues present at the point of recall that were also there when you learn that info, the better
Types of cue?
Explicit, contextual, state
What is an Explicit cue?
Associated info e.g. “Begins with…”
What is a Contextual cue?
Locations, who you were with, the weather etc
What is a state cue?
How you felt at the time, emotional, mental or physical state
What is the study for context-dependant forgetting?
Abernethy 1940 - Tested a group before a course began, then weekly tested them, some in the learning room, some in a different room, some with the normal teacher, some with someone else. Ones in most familiar conditions performed best.
What is the study for the encoding specificity principle?
Tulving and Pearlestone 1966 - Had to learn 48 words in 12 categories, free recall averaged 40%, cued recall averaged 60%
What is the study for state-dependant forgetting?
Goodwin et al - asked to remember a set of words when either drunk or sober. Tested next morning either drunk or sober, when sober for both the results were best, then when drunk for both. Sober first then drunk did worst.
