CHAPTER 10; THEORIES OF FORGETTING Flashcards
What is forgetting?
the inability to remember. This includes the inability to retrieve, recall or recognise information that was previously stored as a memory.
What is the forgetting curve?
performed first by Ebbinghaus. Shows the pattern (rate and amount) of forgetting that occurs over time.
What is retrieval failure theory?
the inability to retrieve material due to an absence of the right cues of a failure to use them.
What are contest-dependent cues?
The outside environment in which a memory was encoded.
What are state-dependent cues?
The internal environment (mood-state and physical condition) when the memory was encoded. e.g. smells, tastes, sounds, angry, happy.
What is the Tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon? (TOT)
knowing that your memory does have the name, item or material you are trying to remember but you just cannot retrieve it at that moment.
What is Interference theory?
difficulties in retrieving information from memory, caused by other material learnt either previously or after.
What is proactive interference?
when previously learnt material inhibits our ability to retrieve new material.
What is retroactive interference?
when newly learnt material inhibits our ability to retrieve new material.
What is Motivated forgetting theory?
Motivated forgetting occurs when a person has a reason to forget memories that are stored in LTM. Motivated forgetting may result from suppression or repression.
What is suppression?
a conscious refusal to access memories that are available
What is repression?
painful or distressing memories are unconsciously pushed to a part of the mind and the person is unaware that these memories exist.
What is Decay theory?
Decay theory suggests that memory traces in the brain will fade over time through lack of use and eventually become unavailable.
