Theories of Forgetting Flashcards
Define forgetting
Forgetting is the inability to retrieve information previously stored in LTM
What are the two main theories regarding forgetting in short-term memory?
Decay theory (or trace decay) Displacement theory
What is trace decay/decay theory? (Hint: what does it focus on, assume, and suggest?)
- Focuses on explaining STM forgetting in terms of limited duration
- Assumes that memories leave a trace in the brain and info is forgotten because of gradual loss of a physical memory trace
- Suggests info in STM creates an active trace or engram that without rehearsal will fade away or decay over time – (brief excitation of nerve cells)
What are some criticisms of decay theory?
- Doesn’t clearly state whether forgetting something means it’s no longer in our memory or an inability to retrieve
- Doesn’t account for retrieving forgotten memories that may have faded and not been used for a long time
- No proof for the existence of a memory trace
What is the displacement theory?
- Explains STM forgetting in terms of limited capacity
- When STM is full, new info displaces/pushes out old information
- Displaced old info is then forgotten
- (First in, first out rule)
How does displacement theory support/work in terms of the recency effect, primary effect, and middle of the list words?
Recency effect: last words in list haven’t been displaced from STM and are available for recall
Primacy effect: first words are NOT displaced because according to Atkinson + Shiffrin MSM they have been rehearsed and transferred to LTM and are available for recall
Middle of the list words: items in the middle are displaced by new info entering STM
What is the main theory of forgetting in long term memory?
Interference theory
What are the two components of interference theory?
Retroactive interference
Proactive interference
What is the interference theory?
- Forgetting occurs because memories interfere with and disrupt one another (Baddeley, 1999)
- Retrieval is most compromised when interfering info is similar to what we’re trying to recall
What is retroactive interference with one example?
“Backward acting”
-Tendency for new info to interfere with the retrieval of previously learnt info
Interference goes backwards causing difficulties with retrieval of info learnt in past
E.g., originally learned manual (old info) and then learn to drive an automatic (new info) if you try and drive a manual again you might try and drive it like an automatic (new info disrupts old)
What is proactive interference with one example?
“Forward acting”
-Old info interferes with retrieval of new info
Interference goes forwards causing difficulty with retrieval of new info
E.g., having difficulty remembering a friend’s new phone number after having a previously learnt old number
What is motivated forgetting (Freud)?
- Suggests we forget info because it’s threatening to us in some way
- Proposes our conscious mind pushes traumatic information into the unconscious
- The unconscious thoughts may manifest in dreams, and/or can be a defence mechanism
Identify and describe 2 defence mechanisms in relation to motivated forgetting
Repression
-Occurs unconsciously and is employed to reduce anxiety
-Submerged memory still lingers and may be retrieved through psychotherapy
-E.g., forgetting past failure or people you dislike
Suppression
-An active conscious attempt to put something out of awareness
-By not thinking about a past failure you have merely suppressed a memory
-Can still be retrieved easy
What are some limitations of motivated forgetting?
- There are other reasons for losing memories – a knock of the head
- In some cases, unpleasant events disrupt the biological process of consolidation in LTM
- They are defence mechanisms but remembering traumatic events may help us learn from experiences
- People can remember the wrong things but believe they are repressed memories
What is retrieval failure?
Information may be available to recall but temporarily inaccessible
