Explanations of Forgetting

• What does interference theory suggest about forgetting?

  It suggests that forgetting is due to information in long-term memory (LTM) becoming confused with or disrupted by other information during coding.
• What are the two forms of interference in interference theory?

  • Proactive interference
  • Retroactive interference
• What is proactive interference?

  Proactive interference occurs when previously stored information interferes with the recall of new information.
• Give an example of proactive interference.

  The memory of an old phone number disrupts attempts to recall a new phone number.
• What is retroactive interference?

  Retroactive interference occurs when recent information disrupts the recall of previously stored information.
• Provide an example of retroactive interference.

  The memory of a new car registration number prevents recall of a previous one.
• When is interference worse according to interference theory?

  Interference is worse when the memories are similar.
• What did Baddeley and Hich (1977) research support regarding retroactive interference?

  • Participants recalled rugby games they played.
  • The study showed that interference can explain forgetting in everyday situations.
  • High ecological validity as it involved real-life recall.
• What is a limitation of proactive interference in everyday memory according to Loftus?

  Very few instances of proactive interference occur in everyday memory.
• What alternative explanation does Loftus suggest for forgetting in day-to-day situations?

  Retrieval failure may be a better explanation due to the absence of cues.
• What did McGeoch & McDonald’s research demonstrate about interference?

  • Participants learned List A and then List B.
  • Forgetting occurred more when List B had similar meaning words to List A.
  • Interference is strongest when the second set of information is similar to the first.
• Why is most research into interference theory considered reliable?

  It is often conducted in controlled laboratory settings, allowing for consistent results.
• What is retrieval failure in the context of memory?

  • It occurs when information is in LTM but can't be accessed.
  • It is due to a lack of retrieval cues.
  • It can lead to forgetting memories.
• What is context-dependent forgetting?

  It occurs when the context during retrieval is different from the context during encoding.
• Who conducted research on context-dependent forgetting?

  Godden and Baddeley (1975)
• What did Godden and Baddeley (1975) find in their research?

  They found that recall was better when the context matched during encoding and retrieval.