intereference theory

Interference is when two pieces of information conflict with eachother, resulting in forgetting either one or both pieces. Sometimes creating distortion in memory.

-its proposed as the reason we forget things, especially in long term memory. Any forgetting of long term memory is due to not being able to have access to them. This interference makes it hard to locate them, resulting in forgetting

Proactive- when an older memory interferes with a newer one

Retroactive- newer memory interferes with an older one

-studied retroactive interference by changing similarity between two sets of material

-participants had to learn a list of 10 words and remember them with 100% accuracy.

-they then learned a new list

-there were six different groups of lists

- when the participant recalled the first list at the end it depended on the nature of the second list. The most similar info caused  the worst recall, showing interference is the strongest when two things are similar

- lab studies help control the strength of irrelevent influences helping to give confidence that interference is a valid expanation for forgetting

ARTIFICAL MATERIALS

however we use artifical materials such as a list in a lab, making interference more likely. Showing that a interference may not be a likely explanation for forgetting in every day life as it is in the lab

REAL LIFE STUDIES- Alan Baddely - wanted to find out if inteference was a better expanation of forgetting rather than a length of time.

- so they asked rugby players to try and remembers the names of teams they had played in so far, in that season week by week. The results showed playerscould recall did notdepend on how long ago but the number of games they had played. Showing interference can be displayed for some every day situations