Explanations for forgetting

Question 1

What are the 2 main explanations for forgetting

+ summarise

Answer 1

• Interference - similar memories interfere, causing forgetting.
• Retrieval Failure - absence of cues leads to inability to recall information.

Question 2

What are the 2 types of interference - give an example for each.

Answer 2

• Proactive interference - Previous memory intereferes with current memory
  
  • E.g. Struggling to remember new phone number - old interfering
• Retroactive interference - Recently learn memory interferring with recall of past memory
  
  • E.g. Forgetting how to play piano becuase recently learnt guitar.

Question 3

More ……. information will cause greater interference.

Answer 3

More SIMILAR information will cause greater intereference.

Question 4

1 Pro 2 cons of Interference (as an explanation for forgetting.)

Answer 4

Pro
* Real-world application in advertising (multiple regular exposures reduce interference of competitors)
Cons
* Reasearch into intereference Lacks mundane realism - Nonsense word list used in study.
* Individul differences impact studies - smaller working memory capacity increases intereference.

Question 5

Define a cue and their role in retrieval failure

Answer 5

• Cues are a prompt that can help with memory retrieval.
• Absence of cues can limit/prevent recall of information.

Question 6

What are the 2 types of cues?

Give an example for each

Answer 6

• External (context) cues
  
  • e.g. same room learning + recall
• Interal (State) cues
  
  • e.g. Drunk when learing + recall

Question 7

What principle suggests that more similar cues (during learning and recall) will cause more recall?

Answer 7

Encoding specifity principle

Question 8

2 Pros 1 con of Retrival failure (as an explanation for forgetting)

Answer 8

Pros
* Real world application - retrieval cues used in education system
* Retrival cues explain effect of interference - List study shows interfernece reduced with cues
Con
* Retrival cues don’t always work - complex infromation related to multiple factors - not just cues.