Explanations for forgetting

• 2 explanations for forgetting

  • Interference
  • Retrieval failure
• Interference - when one memory blocks or interferes with another, causing one or both memories to become distorted.

  Usually occurs with memories that are similar.
• Proactive interference - occurs when old memories interfere with newer ones.

  For example if you rearrange your kitchen cupboards and find that you keep looking for the cutlery in its old place rather than its new place.
• Retroactive interference - occurs when a new memory interferes with an older one.

  For example once you have learned your new post code, you may find it hard to recall the one from your old address.
• Evidence for interference - McGeoch and McDonald

  Studied the effect of similarity on retroactive interference

  Asked participants to learn a list of 10 adjectives until they were recalled with 100% accuracy.

  Then had to learn a different list of words and were then tested again on the original list.

  Those whose second list of words were similar to the first list did worst than those whose second list of words were numbers.

  Shows that retroactive interference is greater with similar memories