2.3

• What is interference?


  The ways in which information is lost from long-term memory. It is when one memory prevents the retrieval of another memory; it gets in the way. There are two types:retroactiveandproactive.Interference can occur when learning or memories are similar.
• Retroactive interference


  This is when a new memory interferes with an old memory. Retro: Backward/the past-previous memory is lost due to the new memory.

  For example, You forget your old phone number as the new number has replaced it.
• Proactive interference


  This is when an old memory interferes with a new memory. Pro: Forward - you cannot access the new memory as the old one is still dominant.

  For example, you need help to learn Spanish as you get muddled with previously learned French vocabulary. Or when you struggle to learn your new phone number as you keep recalling your old number.
• Research support for interference


  Postman (1960)- Learning items in a second list interfered with participants’ ability to recall the first list, i.e., retroactive interference.

  Baddeley and Hitch (1977)-Rugby players who had played every game were more likely to forget matches: the later games had interfered with a recall of the earlier matches, i.e., retroactive interference.

  McGeoch and McDonald (1931)- participants who were given synonyms had the worst recall as it was likely the memory for the original list had not interfered with, i.e., interference is more likely to occur when memories are similar.
• What is cue-dependent retrieval failure?


  This type of forgetting occurs in long-term memory (LTM). This happens when you cannot access a memory in LTM, as there are no cues to help you. Retrieval occurs at the point of 'finding' the memory; the context should help you do this, so if the context is not there, the memory is difficult to locate.
• Research support for cue-dependent retrieval failure

  Tulving et al. (1983)- Recall for six-word lists was higher when participants knew the categories (e.g., animals) in advance.

  Baddeley and Godden (1975)- deepsea divers who learnt material on a) land or b) underwater recalled that material better when recalling it a) on land or b) underwater, i.e. the same context both learning and recall provided the necessary memory cues.
• What is state-dependent retrieval failure?


  People find it easier to recall information if they are in the same emotional and/or physical state as they were when they originally learnt it. If a person learns something when they are upset, then they are more likely to recall it when they are similarly upset.
• Research support for state-dependent retrieval failure


  Goodwin et al. (1975)- participants who learnt information when drunk were more easily recall this information the next day if they were drunk rather than sober.

  Carter and Cassaday (1998)- performance on a test was best when participants had both learned and recalled information when in a drowsy state induced by an anti-histamine drug.