interference theory of forgetting

cognitive psychology - memory- forgetting

1. THEORIES OF FORGETTING By ; ANKITA ASNA SARGAM DISHA

2. Interference theory   information in long term memory may become confused or combined with other information during encoding distorting or disrupting memories. forgetting occurs because of interference from other memories (Baddeley, 1999)

3. Examples- After changing your mobile phone number, you have a difficult time remembering the new number, so you keep accidentally giving people your old number. The memory of your old number interferes with your ability to recall your new number. Students are often more likely to recall information that they learn shortly before an exam than the material they learned earlier in the term .

4. two different types of interference proactive interference retroactive interference .

5. Proactive interference When an old memory interfere with remembering new information . older memories are often better rehearsed and more strongly cemented in long term memory, it is often easier to recall previously learned information rather than more recent learning.

6.   for example – if you move into a new house, you might find yourself accidentally writing your old address down when filling out forms. The older memory of your previous address makes it more difficult to recall your new address.

7. Retroactive interference when newer memories interfere with the retrieval of older memories. this type of interference creates a backward effect, making it more difficult to recall things that have been previously learned.

8. For example: A student is less likely to remember the information taught in the beginning of the year compared to that of the information taught later in the year. You change your phone number. You are only able to remember your latest phone number and not your older phone number .