2.7 Forgetting and Other Memory Challenges

• Proactive interference occurs when old information hinders the ability to learn or recall new information
• In retrieval failure, context plays a crucial role in triggering recall
• Match the theory with its primary cause:

  Decay Theory ↔️ Disuse or lack of reinforcement

  Interference Theory ↔️ Competing information blocks retrieval
• Forgetting can occur due to failures in storage, encoding, or retrieval
• Order the characteristics of the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve from earliest to latest:

  1️⃣ Rapid Forgetting

  2️⃣ Gradual Decline

  3️⃣ Retention
• Decay theory posits that memory traces weaken and eventually disappear over time if they are not refreshed
• In proactive interference, old information hinders the ability to learn or recall new information
• What type of forgetting occurs when information is stored correctly in memory but cannot be accessed without contextual cues?

  Retrieval failure
• Encoding failure occurs when information is stored correctly but cannot be accessed due to lack of contextual cues.

  False
• What is the definition of forgetting in psychology?

  Inability to retrieve information
• Most information is lost within the first few hours after learning, according to the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve.

  True
• The rapid decline in the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve aligns with the decay theory of forgetting.


  True
• Retroactive interference occurs when new information blocks the recall of old information.

  True
• Retrieval failure emphasizes problems with access rather than storage of information.


  True
• The Ebbinghaus forgetting curve shows that forgetting occurs rapidly and then slows down over time.


  True
• The Ebbinghaus forgetting curve shows that information fades linearly over time if not reinforced.

  False
• After one week, what percentage of information is typically retained, according to the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve?

  20%
• What is the primary cause of forgetting according to decay theory?

  Lack of reinforcement
• What type of interference occurs when new information blocks the recall of old information?

  Retroactive interference
• In retrieval failure, context plays a crucial role in triggering recall
• Match the mnemonic technique with its description:

  Acronyms ↔️ Using the first letters of words to form a memorable word or phrase

  Rhymes ↔️ Associating information with a rhyming phrase

  Visual Imagery ↔️ Creating vivid mental pictures to represent information
• The Ebbinghaus forgetting curve illustrates how rapidly newly learned information fades from memory over time if not reinforced
• Match the theory with its description:

  Decay Theory ↔️ Memory traces fade over time

  Interference Theory ↔️ New and old information compete
• What are the two types of interference in interference theory?

  Proactive and retroactive
• What is the definition of retrieval failure in memory?

  Inability to access stored information
• According to retrieval failure theory, what is the cause of forgetting?

  Failure to retrieve cues
• What is the definition of forgetting?

  Inability to retrieve information
• What happens to most information within the first few hours after learning, according to the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve?

  Most information is lost
• The decay theory of forgetting aligns with the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve.


  True
• Forgetting a phone number you don't use regularly is an example of decay theory.


  True
• Proactive interference involves old information disrupting new learning, while retroactive interference involves new information disrupting old memories.


  True
• What is the primary cause of forgetting in encoding failure?

  Insufficient rehearsal
• Mnemonic techniques enhance the encoding process, making information more distinctive and easier to retrieve later