Explanations for Forgetting

• define the interference theory


  - forgetting because our LTM become confused (disrupted) by other information while it is coded
• define proactive interference


  - old information disrupts new

  - interference works forward in time when old information already stored interferes with recalling something new

  (eg, changing your password but still typing in the old one)
• define retro-active interference


  - new information disrupts old

  - interference works backwards in time; new information being stored interferes with the recall of old info
• when is interference more likely to occur?


  - similarity; interference is more likely to occur when 2 pieces of information are similar due to response competition
• when is interference less likely to occur?


  - time sensitivity; interference is less likely to occur when there is a large gap between learning
• define cue-dependant forgetting

  - information is in LTM but forgetting happens due to the absence of appropriate cues/prompts encoded at the same time (encoding specificity principle)
• what are context dependent cues?


  - aspects of our external environment work as cues to memory (sights, sounds, smells)

  - being in a different place inhibits memory as we lack environmental cues
• what are state dependent cues?


  - aspects of our internal environment work as cues to memory (emotions, drugs, state of arousal)

  - being in a different emotional state inhibits memory as we lack state dependent cues
• what are category/organisational dependent cues?


  - providing cues that relate to the organisation/category of memories aids recall

  - the most effective cues have fewer things associated with them; the lack of organisation/category cues inhibits memory
• A03 - retroactive interference


  - Schmidt: sent a questionnaire to 211 11-79 yr olds, included a map of the area around their old school (Dutch) without street names, asked to remember as many of the 48 streets in Molenburg

  - found the more times an individual moved home, the fewer street names could be recalled

  - suggesting adding new street names to memory males recalling old street names harder
• A03 - proactive interference


  - Greenberg + Underwood: ppts given a list of 10 word pairs to learn, every 48 hrs given a new list

  - found the number of correctly recalled word pairs decreased the more word pairs had been learnt previously
• A03 - context-dependent cues


  - Godden + Baddeley: scuba divers learnt a list of words underwater or on land

  - found recall was best with divers if they learnt in the same context/environment as tested
• A03 - state-dependent cues


  - Overton: material learnt drunk or sober, split half and half; same state as recall or different state as recall

  - found recall was worse in different state condition than same state condition