Interference

• Proactive interference

  • when previously learned info interferes with more recently learned info (old replaces new)
• Retroactive interference

  • when new info interferes with previously learnt knowledge (new replaces old)
• McGeoh and McDonald

  • gave participants a list of 10 adjectives they learned with 100% accuracy
  • split into 6 groups and 10 min resting interval
  • Given a second list and then asked to recll
  • if the second list was synonyms of list a recall was 12%, if it was random syllabus recall was 26% and numbers was 36%
  • shows interference is stronger the more similar items are
• Underwood

  • analysed the findings from a number of studies and concluded that when participants have to learn a series of word lists they do not learn the word lists encountered later on in the sequence as well as those learned earlier on.
  • if participants learned 10 or more lists after 24 hours their recall was 20% whereas with one list recall was 70%
• Baddely and Hitch

  • asked rugby players to recall names of teams they had played in the previous season.
  • players that had played the most games had the worst recall
  • shows inference can account for some forgetting.
• Real world application

  • Danaher found that both recall and recognition of an advertisers message were impaired when participants were exposed to two adverts for competing brands within a week.
  • his solution was to play the same advert multiple times in one day rather than spread them over a week to reduce inference from other pieces of info
• Weaknesses

  • lab studies - it’s possible to create the conditions needed to cause interference as the researcher is able to manipulate variables.
  • no real explanation of why these effects occur or of the cognitive processes involved.
  • inference cant be generalised - Kane and Engle demonstrated that people With better working memory suffered less interference
• Strengths

  • Underwood
  • Baddely and hitch
  • Real world application - danaher found that both recall and recognition of an advertisers message were impaired when participants were exposed to two adverts for competing brands within a week. His solution was to play the advert multiple times on one day rather than spread them over a week to reduce interference