Types of Forgetting

Question 1

What are the three types of forgetting?

Answer 1

Decay, displacement and retrieval failure.

Question 2

What is decay?

Answer 2

1. Happens if we don’t pay attention to info in sensory store - sensory info breaks down and memory is no longer available.
2. In STM:
   - Info decays if not rehearsed.
   - Duration of STM is limited, so decay can occur quickly.
3. In LTM:
   - Some believe decay in LTM can occur if there’s a long gap between creating the memory and recall.

Question 3

What is displacement?

Answer 3

1. STM’s capacity is limited, so when it’s ‘full’, new info pushes out old. If old info has not been rehearsed, it is forgotten.
2. Doesn’t occur in LTM b/c it’s capacity is thought to be unlimited

Question 4

What is retrieval failure?

Answer 4

Inability to recall smth b/c of lack of cues to trigger it.

• Cue could be psychological e.g feeling sad when the memory was encoded.
• Cue could be physiological e.g a certain smell to help recall.