Forgetting

• What are the explanations of forgetting?

  Interference + Retrieval Failure
• What are the types of interference?

  proactive and retroactive
• What is meant by retroactive interference?

  when new information prevents the recall of old information
• What is meant by proactive interference?

  when old information prevents the recall of new information
• What is the definition of interference?

  two bits of information get confused in memory
• What factors increase the chance of interference?

  1. Similarity
  2. Time sensitivity
• What is meant by similarity in increasing the chance of interference?

  the more similar two pieces of info are, the more likely interference will occur due to response competition
• What is meant by time sensitivity in increasing the chance of interference?


  the smaller the gap between two instances of learning, the greater the chance of interference
• What is the evaluation for interference forgetting?

  :) Research evidence: McGeoch & McDonald (1931)

  :) Applications: use interleaving when revising to prevent response competition + use spaced practice to reduce impact of time sensitivity

  :( Alternatives: retrieval failure provides a better explanation for forgetting
• Who investigated retroactive interference?

  McGeoch + Mcdonald (1931)
• Describe McGeoch + McDonald's investigation on retroactive interference?

  PROCEDURE: participants had to learn a list of 10 adjectives until they could remember it with 100% accuracy, then they learned a new list: -> group 1 (synonyms), group 2 (antonyms), group 3 (unrelated words), group 4( consonant syllables), group 5 (3 digit numbers), group 6 (no new list - control)

  FINDINGS: synonyms (words with same meaning) had the lowest successful recall -> on average 1 was recalled vs numbers = 4
• What is meant by cue-dependent forgetting?

  the info is in LTM but cannot be accessed due to the absence of cues
• What is meant by the Encoding Specificity Principle?

  the specific context you were in at the time of encoding (learning) a memory should be identical to the context you're in at the time of retrieval -> for the highest chance of retrieval
• What is the result of mismatched contexts in the encoding specificity principle?

  retrieval failure
• What is meant by context dependent in forgetting??

  cues from outside the body (e.g. the classroom you were in when learning something)
• What is meant by state dependent in forgetting?

  your physiological state (e.g. state of anxiety when learning something)
• What is meant by organisation/category dependent in forgetting?

  purposefully encode cues at the time of learning (e.g. mnuemonics like Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain for rainbow colours)
• What is the evaluation for retrieval failure?

  :) Research Evidence: Godden and Baddeley (1975) + Carter and Cassaday (1998)

  :) Applications: used in cognitive interview for EWT to reinstate contexts which can influence convictions
• Who investigated context dependent forgetting and when?

  Godden and Baddeley (1975)
• Describe the context dependent forgetting investigation

  PROCEDURE: 18 participants (13 male, 5 women) learnt a list of 36 words then later asked to recall them:

  condition 1 = learn on land, recall on land. -> matched contexts

  condition 2 = learn on land, recall underwater -> mismatched contexts

  condition 3 = learn underwater, recall underwater -> matched contexts

  condition 4 = learn underwater, recall on land -> mismatched contexts

  FINDINGS: recall higher in matched contexts

  CONCLUSIONS: supports cue dependent forgetting explanation
• Who investigated state dependent forgetting and when?

  Carter & Cassady (1998)
• Describe the state dependent forgetting investigation

  PROCEDURE: participants learned lists of words then later asked to recall them:

  condition 1 = learn when on drug, recall on drug -> matched

  condition 2 = learn when on drug, recall not on drug -> mismatched

  condition 3 = learn not on drug, recall not on drug -> matched

  condition 4 = learn not on drug, recall on drug -> mismatched

  FINDINGS: recall in higher in matched contexts

  CONCLUSIONS: supports cue dependent forgetting explanation