explanations of forgetting: interference

• What is interference in the context of memory?

  Forgetting due to one memory blocking another
• How does interference lead to forgetting?

  It causes conflict between two pieces of information
• In which type of memory is interference mainly proposed as an explanation for forgetting?

  Long-term memory (LTM)
• What is the experience of forgetting attributed to in terms of memory retrieval?

  Difficulty locating memories due to interference
• What are the two types of interference recognized by psychologists?

  • Proactive interference
  • Retroactive interference
• What is proactive interference?

  Old memory interferes with recall of new memory
• Give an example of proactive interference.

  Calling a new boyfriend by an ex's name
• What is retroactive interference?

  New memory interferes with recall of old memory
• Give an example of retroactive interference.

  Forgetting how to drive a manual car
• How does similarity affect interference?

  Greater similarity leads to greater forgetting
• What did McGeoch and McDonald (1931) study?

  Retroactive interference by changing similarity
• What were the six groups in McGeoch and McDonald's study?

  1. Synonyms
  2. Antonyms
  3. Unrelated words
  4. Nonsense syllables
  5. Numbers
  6. No new material (just restudy)
• What did the findings of McGeoch and McDonald's study demonstrate?

  New learning disrupts recall of previous memories
• What is a strength of interference theory?

  Evidence from lab studies supports interference
• What is a limitation of interference research?

  Use of artificial materials limits generalizability
• What did Baddeley and Hitch (1977) find in their study?

  Recall depended on games played, not time
• What does the counterpoint suggest about interference in everyday situations?

  Interference is unusual in everyday life
• What limitation is mentioned regarding overcoming interference effects?

  Using cues can help overcome interference
• What did Tulving and Psotka (1971) study?

  Effects of cues on memory recall
• What was the procedure used by Tulving and Psotka (1971)?

  • Participants learned five lists of 24 words
  • Each list organized into six categories
  • Categories were not explicitly stated