Theories of Forgetting

Question 1

What is Proactive Interference?
(Interference Theory)

Answer 1

• When you can’t learn a new task because of an old task which has been learnt
• Old memories disrupt new memories
  E.g. Calling a person with a similar name with the name of someone you already know

Question 2

What is Retroactive Interference?
(Interference Theory)

Answer 2

• When you forget an old task which has been learnt due to the learning of a new task
• New memories disrupt with old memories
  E.g. Coming back from abroad and driving on the right lane instead of the left lane

Question 3

Experiment of McGeoch & McDonald (whether recall depended on the type of interfering material e.g. similarity).

(Interference Theory)

Answer 3

• Participants had to learn a list of words until they remember it 100% accurately
• Divided into 6 groups and each group learnt a list of new words consisting of synonyms, antonyms, unrelated words, nonsense syllables, numbers and last group weren’t given a new list. They then had to recall the ORIGINAL list
  FINDINGS:
  number of words recalled depended on similarity.
  Lowest recall: synonyms
  Highest recall: Numbers, group with no list

Question 4

Define Retrieval failure

Answer 4

Forgetting occurs due to the absence of cues (reminders for information we are trying to recall)

Question 5

What are the 3 types of cues?
(Retrieval Failure)

Answer 5

1. Semantic cue: information that’s being learnt has a meaningful link
2. Context-Dependent Forgetting: the environment we are in when the information is being learnt ( a classroom)
3. State-Dependent Forgetting: Internal cue which is the emotional/mental state we are in when information is being learnt

Question 6

Experiment of Tulving & Pearlstone (to see if cue dependent forgetting relies on context)
(Retrieval Failure)

Answer 6

• Asked participants to learn a list of words which belongs to different categories e.g. animals, clothing, sports and then asked to recall.
  Group 1:given headings of categories
  Group 2: weren’t given categories
  FINDINGS: Those given headings recalled more words than those who weren’t given headings

This shows cue-dependent forgetting can be easily retrieved if retrieval cues are present

Question 7

Godden & Baddeley (if different context cues effect memory recall
(Retrieval Failure)

Answer 7

• used deep-sea divers in Scotland and asked them to learn the list of words either on land or the sea
  FINDINGS: The divers who learnt recalled the words in the same environment they had learnt it had a better recall e.g. if learnt in sea and recalled in sea. The divers who recalled the words in a different environment compared to where they learnt it had a lower recall

Supports context-dependent forgetting as recalling information depends on the environment

Question 8

Carter & Cassady (whether state effects memory recall)
(Retrieval Failure)

Answer 8

• Students given the drug antihistamines to make them drowsy. This created an internal psychological state which was different from the state of being awake/alert. Pps were then given a list of words to learn in different conditions:
  learnt drowsy= recall drowsy
  learnt drowsy= recall not drowsy
  learnt not on drug= recall drowsy
  learnt not on drug= recalled not drowsy

FINDINGS:
performance was higher when pps learnt and recalled in the same internal state compared to recalling in different internal states