Explanations for forgetting Flashcards
(10 cards)
A01 explanations for forgetting :interference
-In the Interference theory there are 2 types of
Interferences:retroactive and proactive
-Retroactive Interfence is When new memory interferes with past
learning materials -likely If competing Information is similar
↳ e. g Muller asked pps to remember nonsense syllables for 6 min then a retention
task to describe 3 landscapes, they couldn’t remember the nonsense syllable
-Proactive Interference is When past memory interferes with new
Learning material :
↳ e. g underwood found that If PPs memorised 10 lists they had about 20%
recall however If they learnt 1 list they had about 70% recall
-The more similar memories are the greater forgetting is as researchers found
that List B had less of an affect as it was number around 37%, but 12% for synoyms because
there were too similar to the adjectives
RWAstudy: Baddeley& Hitch
· Rugby players
-rugby players memories of games were proportionate to that they played suggesting that
memory lost is proportionate to how many you have rather than decay
What are the two types of interferences in the Interference theory?
Retroactive and proactive interference.
What is retroactive interference?
When new memory interferes with past learning materials, likely if competing information is similar.
Example: Muller asked participants to remember nonsense syllables for 6 minutes, then a retention task to describe 3 landscapes; they couldn’t remember the nonsense syllables.
What is proactive interference?
When past memory interferes with new learning material.
Example: Underwood found that if participants memorized 10 lists, they had about 20% recall; however, if they learned 1 list, they had about 70% recall.
How does the similarity of memories affect forgetting?
The more similar memories are, the greater the forgetting.
Example: List B had less of an effect at around 37%, but synonyms had only 12% recall because they were too similar to the adjectives.
What does the RWA study by Baddeley & Hitch suggest about memory?
Rugby players’ memories of games were proportionate to the number of games they played, suggesting that memory loss is proportionate to how many memories you have rather than decay.
What is a strength of interference studies through lab studies ?
Interference has been shown in several studies, especially lab studies.
Most studies show how proactive (Pl) and retroactive (R) interference are common ways information can be forgotten from long-term memory (LTM).
This shows how lab studies are In highly controlled environment and use a
standardised script to remove biasing effects which enables a cause and effect relationship,reliability
What is a weakness of interference studies due to the stimuli used
Artificial stimuli used in these tasks.
Stimuli materials, such as lists of random words, have no personal meaning to participants compared to everyday memories like appointments or birthdays
This suggests that It makes interference stronger than it actually is as It’s not used in every day Life situations and therefore is low in ecological validity
What is another strength of interference studies through real life studies ?
Real-life studies support the concept of interference.
researchers found that in a group of rugby players who had to recall their last game and the number of games they played that season the more games each player had played, the more likely the memories of the new game would interfer with the old games showing retroactive Interference
E: This shows that Interference plays a role in forgetting rather than decay due to the passage of time providing it with ecological validity /RWA
What is a weakness of interference as an explanation for forgetting?
Interference only explains some instances of forgetting.
For example,rather Special conditions are required for interference to lead to forgetting, as the two memories need to be quite similar, making it a relatively unimportant explanation for everyday forgetting.
This means that other explanations such as retrieval failure are needed for a complete understanding of forgetting, lacks validity
