Interference

• What’s interference?

  Forgetting (mainly in LTM) bc one memory blocks another, making it harder to locate, causing one or both memories to be distorted or forgotten.

  
  

  Forgetting in LTM is most likely because we can’t get access to them even though they are available.
• What are the two types of Interference?

  1. Proactive interference
  2. Retroactive interference
• What’s Proactive interference?

  • older memories interfering with newer ones
• What’s Retroactive Interference?

  • newer memories interfering with older ones
• Research on effects of similarity


  • In both PI and RI, interference is worse when memories are similar, as discovered by McGeoch and McDonald

  Procedure: studied RI by changing similarity between 2 sets of material. Participants learned 10 words until they reached 100% accuracy. They then learned a new list. There were 6 groups:

  G1 - synonyms G2 - antonyms

  G3 - words unrelated to original

  G4 - consonant syllables

  G5 - 3 digit numbers

  G6 - no new list - control group

  Findings: when recalling original list, G1 did worst. This shows interference is strongest when memories are similar.
• A03 for Interference

  • Baddeley and Hitch: rugby players remembered less if they played more games
  • Tulving and Psotka: Interference effects overcome using cues
  • Support from drug studies (Coenen and van Luijtelaar): taking diazepam after learning reduces interference/forgetting = retrogade facilitation
  • Validity issues: lab studies have high control but use artificial materials and unrealistic procedures