Forgetting

• Interference


  Explains forgetting mainly in LTM, problem with accessibility. Occurs when two pieces of info compete and clash, resulting in forgetting or distortion
• Proactive interference


  Older memory interferes with a newer memory
• Retroactive interference


  New memory interferes with a older memory
• Research on similarity for forgetting


  McGeoch and McDonald

  • participants learnt a word list until accurate recall, then given a second list and split into 6 groups
  • 6 groups : antonyms, unrelated, consonant, numbers, synonyms, control condition
  • Found recall of first list depended on nature of second. The more similar the worse recall.
• Strength of interference

  Baddeley and Hitch asked rugby players to recall the teams they played in the season. Players who played the most games had worst recall. Shows real-world applications and validity
• Weakness of interference

  The conditions needed for interference are rare and so would not happen often in everyday life, meaning a limited explanation
• Weakness of interference

  Research is lab based so variables were controlled that wouldn't be in everyday life. Means there is validity issues
• Retrieval Failure

  forgetting occurs due to insufficient cues. Cues must be present at learning at recall
• Tulving ESP

  Encoding Specificity Principle is when cues are different at learning and recall, forgetting will occur
• Research on Context-dependent forgetting

  Godden and Baddeley

  • deep sea divers divided into 4 conditions and learnt word lists either on land or underwater, and recalled either on land or underwater
  • recall was 40% lower in non-matching conditions
• Research on State-dependent forgetting

  Carter and Cassidy

  • participants divided into 4 conditions using antihisamines to alter state
  • recall was lower in non-matching conditions
• Strength of state-dependent cues

  Darley et al used marijuana and found recall of locations was better when under the influence for both learning and recall
• Weakness of context-dependent cues

  Baddeley argues that the contexts have to be very different for an effect to be seen
• Weakness of retrieval failure

  Godden and Baddeley repeated their underwater study but with recognition instead of recall and found there was no context-dependent effects