Forgetting: Interference Theory

Strengths

Weaknesses

Interference theory

One memory disrupting the
ability to recall another

Linked to LTM forgetting

Difference between availability
and accessibility

Most likely when 2 memories
have similarities (McGeoch & McDonald)

Chandler (1989)
Students who study similar
subjects at the same time often
experience interference

Proactive Intereference

Retroactive interference

When you can't learn a new
task because of an old task that
had been learnt

What we already know interferes
with what we are currently learning

i.e- A teacher has learned so many
names in the past she has difficultly
remembering names of her current class

When you forget previously learned task
due to the learning of a new task

Later learning interferes with earlier
learning

New memories disrupt old memories

i.e- Your teacher has learned so many new names
she has difficulty remembering
names of previous years

Little about the cognitive processes

Lab experiments= Low EV

Research evidence

Intuition

People can think of times
interference has happened
Theory makes sense
w/ everyday examples

Limited scope
Can only explain lack of recall
when info in similar format
Means theres many types of recall
that aren't explained