Interference is a memory phenomenon in which some memories interfere with the retrieval of other memories.
Similar memories compete, causing some to be more difficult to remember or even forgotten entirely.
Because of this, some long-term memories cannot be retrieved intoshort-term memory.
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With interference, one might confuse the memory of one event with another.
This experience can be surprisingly common, especially when faced with a number of very similar memories.
Decay theory elaborates upon Ebbinghauss research and suggests that memories decay over time, leading to forgetting.
Many events can take place between the time a memory is encoded and when it is recalled.
Such conditions usually only take place artificially in experimental labs.
Research suggests, for example, that interfering memories are one factor that can also contribute to forgetting.
Two Types of Interference
There are two different types of interference: proactive interference and retroactive interference.
When an old memory makes it more difficult or impossible to remember a new memory.
When new information interferes with the ability to remember previously learned information.
Proactive Interference
Proactive interference is when older memories interfere with the retrieval of newer memories.
The older memory of the previous address makes it more difficult to recall the new one.
Retroactive Interference
Retroactive interference is when newer memories interfere with the retrieval of older memories.
Research has found that around 70% of information is forgotten within 24 hours of initial learning.
Examples of Interference
There are many different examples of how interference can influence everyday life.
Imagine a studentpreparing for a psychology exam.
Between learning the information and taking the actual test, many things can take place.
So, when the student goes to take their exam, they may find recalling some information quite difficult.
They might find themself mixing up differenthistorical figures in psychologyor struggling to remember theorigins of this field.
They often do this by increasing the similarity of the information presented.
The more similar two memories are, the more likely it is that interference will occur.
Some of these lists were very similar to the original test material, while others were very different.
Later testing showed that recall improved as the differences between the two lists increased.
The more similar the lists were, the more interference there was, leading to moredifficulty with recall.
What the researchers discovered was that the interference task decreased memory performance by as much as 20%.
Interference can play a prominent role in the learning process.
Applications of Interference Theory
Interference theory can have a number of real-world applications.
By making the material memorable and less similar to other memories, it may become easier to recall.
Summary
While interference is just one explanation for why we forget, it is an important one.
Studies in lab controls support the existence and impact of interference.
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