Memory - Explanations for forgetting

Memory - Explanations for forgetting

1. Interference

   • proactive interference
     • old memories interfere with new ones, because the origonal memory interferes with the current/newer memories
   • retroactive interference
     • new memories interfere with older memories, for example; when learning a new post code you might forget an older postcode or get it mixed up
   • Evidence for interference
     • McGeoch and McDonald
       • studied the effect of similarity on retroactive interference.
         • pps learned a list of 10 adjectives untill recalled with 100% accuracy
           • they then learned a second list
             • They where then tested on the original list
               • those who had two similar list did poorly
                 • those who had the second list of words as numbers did well.
                   • this shows retroactive interference is greatest with more similar memories
             • several different lists
       • evaluation
         • pros
           • replicated = high control
             • okay eco val
         • cons
           • laboratory setting = unnatural
             • artificial
   • interference in real life
     • Baddeley and Hitch
       • asked rugby players to recall opponents
         • recall was better in recent games if the pps had missed a game
           • suggests = interfernce is the reason that the more regular players performed worse on recall

2. retrieval failure

   • information may be forgotten as we don't have right cues to enable us to retrieve memories from the ltm
     • cues are triggers that allow access to our ltm
       • internal cues = Mood
         • external cues - enviroment
   • encoding specificity principle
     • cues must be present at the time of coding and on retrieval
       • state dependant
         • different internal state
           • Carter and Cassady
             • tested in different internal states
               • drowsy (mild sedative) and non-drowsy
                 • tested in different states = worse as internal cuse weren't present
       • context dependant forgetting
         • different enviroment
           • Godden and Baddeley
             • divers, half underwater other half out
               • learnt words
                 • 40% recalled better in the same enviroment
                   • = external cues present at coding and retrieval
   • Evidence
     • recall states must be very different
     • principle of the cognitive interview, recall can be improved by recreating the context of the crime