Psychology Chapter Interference and Forgetting

Study Notes

Interference in Memory

Interference occurs when conflicting information impacts memory retention, causing forgetting or distortion of memories.
Similarity between two pieces of information increases the likelihood of interference.

Types of Interference

Two main categories: proactive interference and retroactive interference.

Proactive Interference

Defined as when older memories hinder the recall of newer information.
Example: Difficulty remembering names of current classmates because of remembering many names from a previous year.

Retroactive Interference

Involves newer memories obstructing the recall of older information.
Example: Struggling to recall names of old classmates after learning many new names.

Research Findings

Postman Study (1960)

Participants learned two sets of paired word lists with identical first words.
Results showed participants experienced both retroactive and proactive forgetting, supporting interference as a reason for memory loss.
Critique: Lacks ecological validity due to lab study conditions, which may not reflect real-life scenarios.

Baddeley and Hitch Study (1977)

Rugby players recalled teams played throughout the season, with varying match attendance.
Findings indicated recall accuracy depended on the number of intervening matches rather than the time elapsed since the matches.
Demonstrated ecological validity and supported the occurrence of interference in everyday contexts.

Evaluation of Interference

Interference is a significant contributor to forgetting, often more impactful than the passage of time.
Despite its significance, retrieval failure is more prevalent in daily life as a cause of forgetting compared to interference.

Description

Explore the concepts of proactive and retroactive interference in memory. This quiz contains flashcards that define interference and discuss its impact on long-term memory. Test your understanding of how conflicting information affects recall.