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 Slides
 Assignments
 Calendar
Forgetting Theories
 Encoding failure
 Role of time
 Interference theories
 Motivated Forgetting
Amnesia
 Affects Explicit
Memories not Implicit
Memories
 Similar to Alzheimer's

 Anterograde Amnesia
 Can Recall the past,
but unable to create
new memories
 Amnesia
 Retrograde Amnesia
 Unable to recall old
memories stored in Long
Term Memory
Forgetting as Encoding Failure

 Information never encoded into LTM

X
Encoding Failure Demonstrations

 What is on the front of a Nickle?

 According to this theory, objects

are seen frequently, but information
is never encoded into LTM
 Selective attention
Forgetting as Retrieval Failure
 Sometimesinformation IS encoded into LTM,
but we can’t retrieve it

X
Role of Time : Decay Theory
 Memories fade
away or decay
gradually if unused
 Time plays critical
role
 Ability to retrieve
info declines with
time after original
encoding
 Interference Theories
 “Memories interfering with memories”

 Forgetting
is NOT caused by the mere
passage of time but caused by one
memory competing with or replacing
another memory

 There are two types of interference

Two Types of Interference

Typesof interference

Retroactive Proactive
Interference Interference
Retroactive Interference

 Whena NEW memory interferes with

remembering OLD information

 Example: When new phone number

interferes with ability to remember old
phone number
Retroactive Interference
 Example: Learning a new language interferes with
ability to remember old language
Proactive Interference
 Opposite of retroactive
interference
 When an OLD memory
interferes with
remembering NEW
information
 Example: Memories of
where you parked your
car at the mall last week
interferes with ability find
car today
Proactive Interference
 Example: Previously learned language interferes
with ability to remember newly learned language
 Review of Interference Theory

 Retroactive
Interference
 Learn A Learn B Recall A,
B interferes

 ProactiveInterference
 Learn A Learn B Recall B,
A interferes

 Interference
reflects competition
between responses.
Motivated Forgetting
 Repressing
memories that may
be unacceptable or painful
 Unconscious protection against
anxiety
 SigmundFreud believed they
were hidden but not forgotten
 Could be retrieved through
therapy or specific cues
Motivated Forgetting
 Current
studies believe that repression
does not exist
 Neutral memories and details are easily
forgotten
 Emotionally charged memories are rarely
forgotten
Investigating memory
construction errors
Essay Assignment
 500-750word essay investigating the legal
implications of memory errors
 Formulate a thesis/research question
 Use your textbook and at least 2 outside
sources
 APA format
 Use Purdue’s OWL as a resource
 Due November 13th