Explanations for forgetting- interference – Pages 54 – 55
Key terms
Interference- Forgetting because one memory blocks another, causing one or
both memories to eb distorted or forgotten.
Proactive interference (PI)- Forgetting occurs when older memories, already
stored, disrupt the recall of newer memories. The degree of forgetting is greater
when the memories are similar.
Retroactive interference (RI)- Forgetting occurs when newer memories disrupt
the recall of older memories already stored. The degree of forgetting is again
greater when the memories are similar.
Interference theory
- Occurs when two pieces of information conflict with each other.
- Interference has been mainly proposed mainly as an explanation for
forgetting in LTM.
→ Once information has reached LTM it is more or less permanent.
→ Thus, any forgetting of LTMs is because we can’t access them even
though they are available.
→ Interfering makes it harder for us to locate memories – forgetting.
Types of interference
- It is likely that the two or more memories that are interfering with each
other were stored at different times.
→ Proactive interference (pi) – Occurs when an older memory
interferes with newer one.
→ e.g. your teacher has learned many names of the previous
class; she finds it hard to remember the new classes names.
→ Retroactive interference (RI) – Happens when a newer memory
interferes with an older one.
→ E.g. your teacher has learned so many new names this year
that she has difficulty remembering the names of the
students last year.
Effects of similarity
- In both cases interference is worse when the memories are similar.
Procedure
- McGeoch and McDonald studied retroactive interference by changing the
amount of similarity between two sets of materials.
- Participants had to learn a list of 10 words until they could remember
them with 100% accuracy, then they the learned a new list.
- There were six groups of participants who had to learn different types of
lists:
Key terms
Interference- Forgetting because one memory blocks another, causing one or
both memories to eb distorted or forgotten.
Proactive interference (PI)- Forgetting occurs when older memories, already
stored, disrupt the recall of newer memories. The degree of forgetting is greater
when the memories are similar.
Retroactive interference (RI)- Forgetting occurs when newer memories disrupt
the recall of older memories already stored. The degree of forgetting is again
greater when the memories are similar.
Interference theory
- Occurs when two pieces of information conflict with each other.
- Interference has been mainly proposed mainly as an explanation for
forgetting in LTM.
→ Once information has reached LTM it is more or less permanent.
→ Thus, any forgetting of LTMs is because we can’t access them even
though they are available.
→ Interfering makes it harder for us to locate memories – forgetting.
Types of interference
- It is likely that the two or more memories that are interfering with each
other were stored at different times.
→ Proactive interference (pi) – Occurs when an older memory
interferes with newer one.
→ e.g. your teacher has learned many names of the previous
class; she finds it hard to remember the new classes names.
→ Retroactive interference (RI) – Happens when a newer memory
interferes with an older one.
→ E.g. your teacher has learned so many new names this year
that she has difficulty remembering the names of the
students last year.
Effects of similarity
- In both cases interference is worse when the memories are similar.
Procedure
- McGeoch and McDonald studied retroactive interference by changing the
amount of similarity between two sets of materials.
- Participants had to learn a list of 10 words until they could remember
them with 100% accuracy, then they the learned a new list.
- There were six groups of participants who had to learn different types of
lists:
