Types of Interference
What is Interference?
The MSM states that Long-Term Memory has an unlimited capacity, and
memories have a duration of potentially a lifetime.
We know by experience that we forget information stored in the Long-
Term Memory.
Interference - One memory disturbs the recall of another. This may result
in forgetting one or the other, or even both. This is more likely to happen if
the memories are similar.
Proactive Interference
– Previously learnt information interferes with the new information that
you are trying to store.
ie. you face difficulties learning names of students in a class, instead
you keep remembering the names of the students in your maths group
last year.
Retroactive Interference
– A new memory interferes with older ones.
ie. you face difficulties remembering the names of the students in your
maths group last year because you learnt the names of your
psychology class this year.
If it affects old info, its retroactive - new information interferes with old
information.
If it affects new info, it’s proactive - old information interferes with new
information.
, Lab Experiment: McGeoch & McDonald (1931)
Aim - To investigate retroactive interference.
Method:
– 6 Groups of Ps
– Each group of Ps learned the same list of two-syllable adjectives until
100% accurate
– Groups then had to learn a second list.
– Group 1: Synonyms
– Group 2: Antonyms
– Group 3: Unrelated Words
– Group 4: Nonsense Syllables
– Group 5: Three-Digit Numbers
– Group 6: No New List
What is Interference?
The MSM states that Long-Term Memory has an unlimited capacity, and
memories have a duration of potentially a lifetime.
We know by experience that we forget information stored in the Long-
Term Memory.
Interference - One memory disturbs the recall of another. This may result
in forgetting one or the other, or even both. This is more likely to happen if
the memories are similar.
Proactive Interference
– Previously learnt information interferes with the new information that
you are trying to store.
ie. you face difficulties learning names of students in a class, instead
you keep remembering the names of the students in your maths group
last year.
Retroactive Interference
– A new memory interferes with older ones.
ie. you face difficulties remembering the names of the students in your
maths group last year because you learnt the names of your
psychology class this year.
If it affects old info, its retroactive - new information interferes with old
information.
If it affects new info, it’s proactive - old information interferes with new
information.
, Lab Experiment: McGeoch & McDonald (1931)
Aim - To investigate retroactive interference.
Method:
– 6 Groups of Ps
– Each group of Ps learned the same list of two-syllable adjectives until
100% accurate
– Groups then had to learn a second list.
– Group 1: Synonyms
– Group 2: Antonyms
– Group 3: Unrelated Words
– Group 4: Nonsense Syllables
– Group 5: Three-Digit Numbers
– Group 6: No New List
