AO1

• Interference is when two lots of information become confused in memory. This can be because the long term memory is being disrupted by one lot during the coding of the other lot.
• There are two kinds of interference; proactive and retroactive
• Proactive interference is when previously learnt information affects the recall of new information.
• Retroactive interference is when new information affects the recall of previously learnt information, as it may overwrite or block the earlier information.
• Interference is much more likely to occur when two pieces of information are similar due to response competition
• Interference is time-sensitive, so much more likely to occur if both pieces of information are learnt at the same time (and less likely to occur if learned far apart).
• Baddeley and Hitch (1977) demonstrated retroactive interference as they found that the more games rugby players had played, the worse their recall was of the names of team that they had played became. Memory of the newer team names had interfered with the memory of the older team names.
• Baddeley and Hitch (1977) demonstrated retroactive interference as they found that the more games rugby players had played, the worse their recall was of the names of team that they had played became. Memory of the newer team names had interfered with the memory of the older team names.