Memory

~ Explanations for forgetting ~

Retroactive interference 

Old information/memory is disrupted by the new learned information 

Proactive interference 

New information/memory is disrupted by the old learned information.

McGeoch and McDonald 1931 

Study of retroactive interference by changing the amount of similarity between two sets of materials. PPT has to learn a list of 10 words until they could remember them accurately then learned new set of words 

6 groups =

1)    Synonyms 

2)    Antonyms 

3)    Words unrelated to original ones 

4)    Nonsense syllables 

5)    3 digit numbers 

6)    No new list 

Similar material had the worst recall // interference is strongest when memories are similar. 

Evaluation:

ü Real life studies = Baddeley and Hitch 1977 wanted to find out if interference was a better explanation for forgetting than passage of time.  The accuracy of the recall is based on the number of games played rather than depending on how long ago the matches took place. 

ü Interference can be overcome using cues – Tulving and Psotka 1971 gave participants five lists of 24 words organised into 6 categories – hut, cottage, hill, etc. categories not explicit recall 70% for the first word list but fell when additional lists were given to learn. Then given cued recall test – recall rose again to about 70%.  

×     Artificial material – interference would be greater in lab studies rather than in real-life situations. The stimulus materials used in most studies are lists of words. Interference may not be as likely an explanation for forgetting in everyday life as it is the lab.