Forgetting: interference

• What is interference ?

  Explanation for forgetting in terms of disrupting memory to recall another
• what is the interference theory?

  2 pieces of info disrupt each other in LTM and prevent retrieval into STM
• what is retroactive interference ?

  . new interferes with old

  . George miller identified

  E.g. not remembering old phone number
• What was George millers procedure for retroactive interference ?

  . Gave PS list of nonsense syllables

  . 6 mins to learn

  . Asked to recall after retention interval

  Results: performance worse when PS had intervening tasks, this produced RI
• What is proactive interference ?

  . Older memories interferes with new

  . Trouble making new memories

  . Benton Underwood

  E.g. old classmates names prevent new name
• Benton Underwood procedure for PI?

  . analysed study findings

  . Concluded when Ps learn word list they don't learn word list encountered later as well as earlier

  . Found PS memorised 10+ lists after 24 hours they recalled 20% , only 1 list recalled was 70%+
• McGeoh and McDonald experiment?

  . Experimented effects of material similarity

  . Learned 10 words until 100% recall

  . Had to study another 10

  . Had to recall original list

  Results: poor recall if 2nd list was synonyms of 1st (12%)

  conclusion : shows interference is strongest the more similar the words are
• What was Baddely and Hitch's real world study ?

  . Investigated rugby players by them recalling teams played against

  . If decay theory is correct all players should recall similar %

  . If interference is correct those who played more should forget more due to interference

  . Retroactive interference is strong when more info can cause interference