Interference Theory AO3

Question 1

✅ How did Baddeley and Hitch (1977) support interference theory?

Answer 1

They found that rugby players’ forgetting was due to the number of games played (interference) rather than the passage of time, supporting retroactive interference.

Question 2

✅ How does Tulving and Psotka’s (1971) study challenge the absolute impact of interference?

Answer 2

They found that providing cues after interference restored recall, showing that interference can be overcome with appropriate cues.

Question 3

What is a key methodological issue with research on interference?

Answer 3

Many studies use artificial tasks (e.g., learning word lists), which may not accurately reflect real-life memory processes, limiting external validity.

Question 4

❌ Why is interference theory considered too simplistic?

Answer 4

It cannot explain all types of forgetting, especially for information that is not similar, suggesting forgetting is a more complex phenomenon.