Explanations for forgetting

• Explanation for forgetting - Interference


  Proactive = old memories disrupt new ones

  Retroactive = new memories disrupt old ones

  McGeoch & McDonald, six groups learned lists, similar words created more interference

  Baddeley & Hitch, rugby players remembered less if played more games over a season
• Interference evaluation

  +research support

  -interference is only temporary and can b overcome using cues

  -validity issues, lab studies have high control but use artificial materials and unrealistic procedures
• Explanation for forgetting - Retrieval failure

  Tulving says cues most effective if present at coding and at retrieval

  Context dependent = Godden & Baddeley (divers), recall better wen contexts matched

  State dependent = Carter & Cassaday (antihistamine), recall better when internal states matched
• Retrieval failure evaluation

  +real world application, cues are weak but worth paying attention to as strategy for improving recall

  -no context effects when memory assessed using recognition test

  -research support for the principle but no independent measure of the encoding