Interference theory

• What is proactive interference?

  When an older memory interferes with a new one
• What is retroactive interference?

  When a newer memory interferes with an older one
• Who conducted the study on retroactive interference in 1931?

  McGeoch and McDonald
• What was the main focus of McGeoch and McDonald's study?

  Retroactive interference
• How did McGeoch and McDonald manipulate the study?

  By changing the similarity between materials
• What did participants have to learn first in the study?

  A list of words
• What was the criterion for participants to stop learning the first list?

  They had to remember it 100% accurately
• What was the second task participants had to perform?

  Learn a new list
• What were the six groups of participants in the study?

  1. Synonyms
  2. Antonyms
  3. Unrelated words
  4. Nonsense syllables
  5. Three-digit numbers
  6. No new list (rested)
• What type of words did Group 1 learn?

  Synonyms of the original words
• What type of words did Group 2 learn?

  Antonyms of the original words
• What did Group 3 learn?

  Words unrelated to the original ones
• What did Group 4 learn?

  Nonsense syllables
• What did Group 5 learn?

  Three-digit numbers
• What did Group 6 do during the study?

  Rested without learning a new list
• What were the findings regarding the mean number of test items recalled?

  • Synonyms: 5.0
  • Antonyms: 4.0
  • Unrelated: 3.0
  • Nonsense syllables: 2.0
  • Numbers: 1.0
  • None: 0
• How did the type of interfering material affect recall performance?

  More similar materials decreased recall performance