Interference theory of forgetting

Question 1

What is interference

Answer 1

2 pieces of info disrupt each other

Info is either forgotten or distorted

Question 2

What is proactive interference/study for it

Answer 2

Old memory disrupts new memory

Keppel and Underwood - Replicated Peterson and Peterson

Found that old trigrams were remembered better/they interfered with new trigram memory

Question 3

What is retroactive interference/study for it

Answer 3

New memory disrupts old memory

Muller and Pilzecker - Nonsense syllables for 6 minutes then interference task then recall

Recall was worse after interference task - task interfered with old memory of syllables

Question 4

Evaluate the interference theory of forgetting

Answer 4

Doesn’t take into account personal differences

Methodological issues with proactive interference (based on peterson/peterson)

Lab experiment

Retrieval failure may be better explanation

Nomothetic vs ideographic