INTERFERENCE THEORY

• How does interference theory explain forgetting?

  forgetting is caused by 2 memories competing . we cannot remember something because it is being affected by a memory that we already have or by future learning
• when is the degree of interference between the memories thought to increase?

  as they become more similar to each other

  eg revising spanish and french would be harder than revising maths and french
• what is PROACTIVE INTERFERENCE?

  When a previously stored piece of information disrupts the attempt to recall something new.

  • eg the memory of an old phone number interferes with the attempt to recall a new phone number
• what is RETROACTIVE INTERFERENCE?

  When the acquisition and coding of new information disrupts the recall of information that is already stored

  • eg moving to a new address disrupts the attempt to remember previous addresses
• what is the definition for forgetting?

  = the failure to retrieve memories
• what is the definition for interference theory?

  an explanation for forgetting when similar material is confused in recall from the LTM