6. Explanations for forgetting: interference theory

• Interference - AO1


  - Forgetting because one memory blocks another, causing one or both memories to be forgotten or distorted
• Types of interference - AO1

  - Proactive interference

  - Retroactive interference
• Proactive interference - AO1


  - When older memories interfere and disrupt the recall of new memories. - The degree is greater when memories are similar

  - OLD to NEW
• Retroactive interference - AO1

  - Newer memories interfere with the recall of older memories already sorted.

  - The degree is greater when memories are similar

  - NEW to OLD
• Research on effects of similarity - AO1

  - McGeoch and McDonald (1931) Procedure -

  - Studies the effects of retroactive interference by changing the amount of similarity between two sets of material

  - Participants had to learn to recall a list of words until they could recall them with 100% accuracy

  - Then they learned a new list - 6 groups had to learn different types of new lists

  Groups - synonyms, antonyms, words unrelated to the original ones, constant syllables, three-digit numbers and no-new list (control condition)

  - Findings and conclusions - When they were asked to recall word which were similar (synonyms) recall was worse.

  - Therefore, interference is strongest when memories are similar
• Explanation of the effects of similarity - AO1

  - Proactive interference - previously stored information makes new similar information more difficult to store

  - Retroactive interference - new information overwrites previously similar memories because of the similarity
• Real-world interference 😊 - AO3

  - Baddley and Hitch (1977) - asked rugby players to recall the names of the teams they had played in the season

  - Players all played for the same time interval (over one season) but some missed the game due to injury

  - Players who played the most games had poorest recall due to the most interference of memory

  - Interference can operate in some real-world situations
• CP to real world interference 🙁 - AO3

  - Interference may cause some forgetting but its unusual

  - Conditions necessary for interference to occur is relatively rare.

  - Lab studies have high control, and the research can create ideal conditions for interference

  - Two memories must be fairly similar to cause interference

  - May only happen occasionally in everyday life

  - Forgetting may be better explained by other theories like retrieval failure due to lack of cues
• Interference and cues 🙁- AO3

  - Interference only temporary and overcome by cues

  - Tulving and Psotka (1971) - participants lists of words organised into categories - one list at a time (participants did not tell the categories

  - Recall averaged about 70% for first list but became worse as they were asked to recall other lists

  - At the end given cues recall tests - recall rose to 70%

  - This suggests that interference causes a temporary loss of accessibility to information that is already in the LTM.
• Support for drug studies 😊- AO3

  - Coenen and Van Luijtelaar (1977) - participants a list of words and asked them to recall the list

  - When a list was learned under the influence of diazepam recall one week later was poor compared to those who took a placebo

  - When a list was learned after the drug was taken recall was better than the placebo group

  - Wixted (2004) - suggests that the drug prevents new information reaching parts of the brain involved in processing memories - cannot interfere retroactively with information already stored