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The Interference Theory explains why we forget the information stored in our brain and maintains that it is due to the interference of some memories over others. Proactive interference occurs when already learned information interferes with new information that is being learned. Retroactive interference, on the other hand, occurs when new information interferes with previous memories.
memory and oblivion
The functioning of human memory and forgetfulness has been a subject of study that has aroused scientific interest since the 19th century, and continues today.
Generally, when talking about memory, reference is made to:
- short-term memory, which is the cognitive system that processes the stimuli received by the brain for a short period of time;
- long-term memory, in which the cognitive system that is responsible for processing information and storing it for a long period.
Memory is important to carry out all kinds of activities, and mainly, it has an essential role in learning. Taking this into account, memory can be classified into:
- Declarative or explicit memory: it is the conscious way in which we remember information. This type of memory is used daily in study and everyday tasks. For example, when we try to memorize a concept, learn new vocabulary, remember a password or the supermarket list, etc.
- Implicit or non-declarative memory: it is the ability to remember information unconsciously, without making an effort. This type of memory is usually involuntary, since it occurs automatically. For example, when listening to a song many times or driving a car.
theories of oblivion
During the study of memory or why we remember, the question of why we forget also arose. That is, the reasons that cause forgetfulness or the priority that some memories have over others. Currently, it is known that forgetting is an involuntary process that consists of stopping remembering information that has not been eliminated, but has been “hidden” in the unconscious.
With the exception of forgetfulness due to mental illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, the process of forgetting is natural and even healthy. Otherwise, we would constantly remember everything, even negative, traumatic experiences or information that no longer serves us. Different types of forgetfulness include:
- Forgetting due to interfering learning: it is considered normal and occurs daily since we are constantly learning.
- Psychological forgetfulness: a disturbance of mental functioning that generally occurs when a person is under high levels of stress.
- Traumatic forgetfulness: occurs when the person receives a blow to the head. It is also known as amnesia.
- Physiological forgetfulness: it is due to problems in the formation of the brain or the nervous system.
How forgetfulness occurs
In the middle of the 20th century, it was concluded that the normal forgetting of information stored in the brain occurs due to the weakening of the connections between certain neurons. When new information is acquired, neurons connect in a certain pattern or register. This pattern or connection between them is what allows access to the information that is stored in memory.
In this way, the memory is stored in the form of a record and becomes available again when we remember, by activating that pattern of neuron connections. By remembering, that connection pattern is activated again. The more that memory is used, the stronger the connection becomes. However, when it is not used frequently, the connection becomes weaker and weaker, until it is lost. This causes forgetting of that particular information or record.
Generally, the cause of forgetting a memory is the interference of other memories. The study of forgetting and memory is especially important in research on learning and some mental illnesses. Due to this, in the last century studies have been carried out and different theories and hypotheses have been developed to explain how memory works, how some memories are produced and maintained and how and why others are forgotten.
The Interference Theory
One of the most prominent theories on forgetfulness and long-term memory is the Interference Theory, according to which some memories have a higher priority over others. This theory holds that forgetting occurs because memories interfere and compete with each other, combining, distorting, or confusing stored information. This causes it to be difficult to remember certain information or to be forgotten completely.
Generally, interference occurs when memories and the information being remembered are similar. Therefore, this theory is also known as “associative theory of interference.” For example, if a person regularly performs an activity, such as going to the movies, he will probably have difficulty remembering the order in which he saw the movies or who he went with each time. Another example of interference could be going shopping at the same place every week. Surely, the person will have trouble remembering what they bought or which vendor served them each time.
If old memories interfere with the retrieval of new memories, it is called proactive interference . Conversely, if new memories interfere with pre-existing memories, it is retroactive interference .
What is Proactive Interference
Proactive interference occurs when a person is unable to learn new information because the information they already know prevents their retention. That is, in proactive interference, old memories interfere with the information you are trying to remember, because they have been stored for a longer period in long-term memory. In this way, the memory of the new information is impaired, distorted or not retained by the information already stored.
Proactive interference is a memory disturbance that is caused by exposure to stimuli prior to the time you are trying to remember something. This type of interference is the least problematic and can be reduced by practicing, rehearsing, reciting, or repeating the new information.
The most common example of proactive interference occurs when trying to learn words in a new language. It usually manifests itself when new words are confused with familiar words from two similar languages, such as Italian and Spanish.
Examples of Proactive Interference
Other examples of proactive interference are:
- Write last year instead of the new one during the first months of the new year.
- Using a new currency in another country and confusing the values with those of the old currency.
- Forgetting the name of a new colleague and calling them by the name of another colleague from a previous job.
- Learn a new choreography of the same song.
- Learn to use a new model or brand of mobile phone.
What is Retroactive Interference
Unlike proactive interference, in retroactive interference, it is the new memories that interfere with the retrieval of old memories. This type of interference occurs when a person cannot remember already stored information because new information interferes with retrieving it. In other words, the memory of something is impaired due to exposure to other information.
Retroactive interference is a memory disturbance that is produced in earlier memories by new stimuli. This interference presents a major challenge and is one of the most important objects of study in the disciplines that investigate the development of learning.
The way to reduce retroactive interference is to review and refresh previous knowledge as new is learned.
A common example of retroactive interference is the case of students studying for multiple exams. If they study a list of verbs for an English test and the next day memorize a list of French verbs, they will probably have a harder time remembering the first list.
Examples of Retroactive Interference
Other examples of retroactive interference are:
- Learn the monologue of a work and forget the monologue of a previous one.
- Forgetting how the old mobile phone was used after using the new phone for a while.
- Forget the streets of a city after moving and learn the streets of another place.
- Forget the contents of a few months ago of a subject.
- Forgetting the vocabulary of a language after spending time without using it or practicing it.
Criticisms of the Interference Theory
Although the Interference Theory has been widely accepted, it has also received some criticism. Some of them are:
- The fact that the studies are based on limited experiments, both in number of exercises and in evaluation time.
- The use of memory cards, something that is not often used in everyday life.
- The theory focuses only on declarative memory and leaves out possible effects on implicit memory.
- The theory does not account for or explain the rate of forgetfulness, which is the natural forgetfulness that occurs over time, as a person ages.
Background and origin of the Interference Theory
The origin of the Interference Theory was the result of different investigations on memory, forgetfulness and the study of the brain, from the end of the 19th century and, to a greater extent, during the 20th century.
memory and time
The first studies of memory were carried out in the 19th century. The German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus was one of the pioneers in investigating how forgetting occurs and developed the theory known as The Forgetting Curve. This theory shows that if the acquired information is not reinforced, its retention decreases abruptly in the first days and it continues to be slowly forgotten over time.
However, in 1957, the American psychologist Benton J. Underwood expanded on Ebbinghaus’s research on the forgetting curve and proposed that learning, that is, the acquisition of information, is another reason for forgetting, in addition to time.
memory and learning
In 1892, the German psychologist John A. Bergström conducted a study that demonstrated the existence of interference in the learning process. In his experiment, participants were first instructed to sort cards into two piles. Later, the location of the second stack was changed. After this change, the participants acted in a slower manner. This suggested that learning the initial rules interfered with learning the new rules.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the German psychologist Georg Elias Müller took up the study of interference in memory and called it “inhibition”. Likewise, he formulated the theory of retroactive interference, as the forgetting of learned information when new information is acquired. His study was based on an experiment in which participants had to remember a list of syllables for 6 minutes. Subsequently, they were presented with three landscape paintings that they had to describe. Finally, the number of syllables they remembered from the list was evaluated. The control group, which was not exposed to distractions or had to look at the paintings, reported greater ability to recall the list. On the contrary, in the studied group a retroactive interference was demonstrated,
memory and dream
In 1924, the American psychologists James G. Jenkins and Karl Dallenbach conducted a study where they analyzed various participants during periods of wakefulness and sleep. They had to learn a list of words made up of a consonant, a vowel, and another consonant. Subsequently, they were assessed how many of these words they remembered after different periods of time, between one and eight hours of wakefulness or sleep.
Participants who were awake and thus exposed to other stimuli remembered less information than participants who were asleep and not exposed to other stimuli. In addition, the participants also remembered less as time passed. In this way, the researchers came to the conclusion that when a smaller amount of stimuli is received after acquiring new information, the ability to remember what has been learned is greater. Therefore, the information acquired before sleep is better remembered.
Other results on proactive and retroactive interference
In the year 2001, the psychologists Lynn Hasher and Cindy Lustig carried out an experiment that demonstrates the theory of interference. In the study, the participants had to fill in the blanks of some words, such as A_L_ _ _GY ( allergy , or “alergia” in Spanish), with the first word that occurred to them. Subsequently, participants had problems filling in the gaps in similar new words, such as: A_A_ _GY ( Analogy , or “analogy”, in Spanish). In this way, it was shown that the memory of the old information interfered with the new information.
In 2007, researchers Deward, Cowan, and Della Sala discovered that interference also happens even if nothing new has been learned. In his experiment, the participants had to learn a list of words and then they were exposed to different activities such as differentiating objects or detecting certain sounds. With this study they demonstrated that interference can also occur when making any mental effort during the information retention period; when learning similar or different information to the previous one.
Other related theories
In addition to the Interference Theory, there are other theories related to the functioning of memory, forgetting and learning. Some of them are:
- The hypothesis of extra-experimental interference: it arose in the 1960s and is an extension of the Theory of interference and was based mainly on the studies of researchers. Underwood and Postman. This theory holds that a person’s pre-existing speech habits can interfere with recall of new information.
- The Decay Theory: maintains that memories weaken over time, even though they have been stored and consolidated.
- The interference of the two tasks: it is an interference that occurs when trying to perform two tasks simultaneously. According to this theory, the priority or dominant task inhibits the performance of the task considered less important.
Sources
- Pasqual Maragall Foundation. (2020, November 24). The theories of oblivion . Portal for the elderly. Available here .
- Ruiz Mitjana, L. The associative theory of interference: studying forgetting. Psychology and mind. Available here .
- Sánchez-Monge, M. Memory can be trained, and forgetfulness? Take care Plus. Available here .
- Postman, L. (1961). Extra-experimental interference and the retention of words. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 61(2), 97–110. Available here .
- Pryor, DE; Blick, K.A. (1968). The temporal course of extra-experimental
- interference from verbal habits. Psychon. Sci., Vol. 10 (10). Randolph-Macon College. Available here .
- McLeod, S. (2018). Proactive and Retroactive Interference . Simply Psychology. Available here .