Interference theory

Question 1

What is interference?

Answer 1

Explanation for forgetting as one memory disrupts the ability to recall another, most likely occurs when 2 memories have similar meaning

Question 2

What is proactive interference?

Answer 2

Past learning interferes with current attempts to learn something

Question 3

What is retroactive interference?

Answer 3

Current attempts to learn interfere with past learning

Question 4

What is the evidence of interference theory?

Answer 4

• Underwood and Postman (1960)
• Paired associate learning task to test effects of interference
• Learn series of word pairs and presented with first word (stimulus word) and then the paired word (response word)
• Given another list of word pairs with the same stimulus word but different response word
• Recall of response word is poor and affected by retro and proactive interference
• Only present when same stimulus word is used in both lists

Question 5

Who found interference is most strongest when the materials are similar?

Answer 5

Mcgeoch and McDonald (1931)

Question 6

Why is the research artificial?

Answer 6

Low ecological validity - uses artificial lists of words which don’t relate to everyday memory. PP’s may lack motivation and allow interference to appear stronger than they are

Question 7

Is interference temporary or does it actually cause a memory to disappear?

Answer 7

• Ceraso (1967)
• If memory was tested after 24 hours, recognition showed recovery whereas recall remained the same
• Interference is temporarily not available rather than being lost

Question 8

How are some people more affected by interference than others?

Answer 8

• Kane and Engle (2000)
• Individuals with a better WM were less susceptible to proactive interference
• Having a greater WM span means having better resources to consciously control processing the effects of proactive interference