forgetting

• Although she is having frequent thoughts of wishing she was dead, she gets frustrated with herself because she feels like she has every reason to be happy, yet she can't seem to shake the sense of doom and gloom that clouds each day
• Interference


  A theory that says forgetting occurs because one memory interferes with or disrupts the recall of another memory, causing both memories to be distorted
• Interference theory says that forgetting occurs when newly stored information disrupts the recall of previously stored information, and the degree of forgetting is greater when the memories are similar
• Proactive interference occurs when previously stored information makes new similar information difficult to store
• Retroactive interference occurs when new information overwrites previous similar memories because of the similarity
• Interference theory


  1. Interference occurs when two pieces of information compete for recall

  2. This can lead to distortion or forgetting of one or both memories
• Interference has been proposed as a main explanation for forgetting in long-term memory
• Proactive interference


  Occurs when previously learned information interferes with the learning of new, similar information
• Retroactive interference


  Occurs when new information interferes with the recall of previously learned information
• Research has shown that interference is strongest when the memories are most similar
• Marginal utility


  The additional utility (satisfaction) gained from the consumption of an additional product
• If you add up marginal utility for each unit you get total utility