Forgetting (Memory)

Question 1

What is interference?

Answer 1

• An explanation for forgetting in terms of one memory disrupting the ability to recall another.
• This is most likely to occur when two memories have some similarity.
• There are two types of interference –> retroactive interference and proactive interference.

Question 2

What is retroactive interference?

Answer 2

• Where the current attempts to learn something (new information) interfere with past learning (old information).

Question 3

What is proactive interference?

Answer 3

• Proactive interference is where past learning (old information) interferes with current attempts to learn something (new information).

Question 4

What is the research studies to support retroactive interference - forgetting?

Answer 4

• McGeoch and McDonald (1931)
• Baddeley and Hitch (1977)

Question 5

Describe McGeoch and Mcdonalds study to support retroactive interference –> forgetting

Answer 5

-McGeoch and McDonald (1931):
Procedure:
- The amount of similarity between two sets of materials was changed.
- Participants had to learn a list of 10 words until they could remember them with 100% accuracy.
- They then learnt a new list.
- There were 6 groups of participants each with a different type of new list.
Group 1 –> Synonyms (words with the same meaning as the originals)
Group 2 –> Antonyms (words with the opposite meaning to the originals)
Group 3 –> Unrelated words
Group 4 –> Consonant syllables
Group 5 –> Three digit words
Group 6 –> No new list (control condition)

Question 6

What was the findings and conclusion to McGeoch and Mcdonalds study?

Answer 6

• When participants were asked to recall the original list of words (old information), the most similar material (synonyms) produced the worst recall, this shows that interference is strongest when the memories are similar.
• in addition, recall of the old list was also worse when the participants learnt a new list, mainly retroactive interference.
  –> But there is no real life application, so how valid is it?

Question 7

Describe Baddeley and Hitchs study to support retroactive interference

Answer 7

Baddeley and Hitch (1977):
Procedure:
- Investigated interference effects in an everyday setting of rugby players recalling the names of teams they had played against over a rugby season.
- Some players played in all of the games in the season whereas others missed some games because of injury.
- The time interval from start to the end of the season was the same for all players, but the number of intervening games was different for each player due to missed games.

Question 8

What is the findings and conclusion of Baddeley and Hitchs study?

Answer 8

• They found that the players who played the most games forgot proportionately more because of interference.
• Baddeley and Hitchs study supports retroactive interference because they are used to explain forgetting in real life situations as if there is more new information being received, this blocks and interferes with past memories.

Question 9

What are the strengths of interference as an explanation for forgetting?

Answer 9

• Research support (McGeoch and McDonald, or Baddeley and Hitch)
• Evidence from lab experiments, which has high control over extraneous variables, which then increases the validity of interference as an explanation for forgetting.

Question 10

What are the weaknesses of interference as an explanation for forgetting?

Answer 10

• Interference and cues: Interference is temporary and can be overcome by using cues. –> In research, Tulving found that if participants were given a cued recall task after their interference task, their recall can increase –> suggesting that interference is a temporary loss of accessibility to material that is still in long term memory

Question 11

What is forgetting in long term memory often due to?

Answer 11

• Forgetting in long term memory is often due to retrieval failure.

Question 12

What is retrieval failure?

Answer 12

• Retrieval failure is when you cannot retrieve a memory that is there. (Lack of accessibility rather than availability.)
• It occurs when there are a lack of cues or clues.

Question 13

What did Tulving (1983) suggest about memory recalling information?

Answer 13

• Tulving (1983) suggested that memory is most effective if the information that was present when encoding took place is also available when the encoding is recalled.
• So if we are given a cue when we learn information and have this cue later on, we can recall the information better.
• The cue doesn’t have to be exactly right but the closer it is to the original item, the better.
• Other cues are also encoded at the time of learning; context and state.