Explanations for Forgetting
There are 2 key explanations for why we forget:
1. Interference - similar information competes with other information in our LTM and causes us
to forget
2. Retrieval failure - we can’t nd the information
Interference theory:
Interference theory: forgetting in LTM is mostly caused by 2 competing similar memories that
are interfering with each other. This can be retroactive or proactive.
The more similar the memories the more likely they are to cause interference.
There are two types:
Retroactive = where recent information learned disrupts recall of previously stored information
Proactive = where what we have already stored disrupts current learning
Retroactive
Proactive
Proactive
Retroactive
Proactive
Proactive
• Newer information may overwrite earlier information - making retroactive interference more
common.
• Interference occurs more when the two lots of information are similar.
• Interference is less likely to occur when there is a large gap between the instances of
learning.
fi
There are 2 key explanations for why we forget:
1. Interference - similar information competes with other information in our LTM and causes us
to forget
2. Retrieval failure - we can’t nd the information
Interference theory:
Interference theory: forgetting in LTM is mostly caused by 2 competing similar memories that
are interfering with each other. This can be retroactive or proactive.
The more similar the memories the more likely they are to cause interference.
There are two types:
Retroactive = where recent information learned disrupts recall of previously stored information
Proactive = where what we have already stored disrupts current learning
Retroactive
Proactive
Proactive
Retroactive
Proactive
Proactive
• Newer information may overwrite earlier information - making retroactive interference more
common.
• Interference occurs more when the two lots of information are similar.
• Interference is less likely to occur when there is a large gap between the instances of
learning.
fi
