Question

Discussion A) Script and Semantic Network

– What is a script and provide an example including what may influence what people remember and include this in your example of a script. Also, what is a semantic network? Provide an example.

Discussion B) Interference Theory

• Imagine that one week ago you changed jobs and got a new work phone number. If someone asks for your phone number you will probably have a hard time remembering it. However, in six months, you will probably have difficulty remembering your old work phone number. According to interference theory, what processes are responsible for your failure to remember the old and the new phone number? Also, apply this information to an example of your own (do not use an example from the textbook or PowerPoint, etc)

Answer 1

I can answer B) for you:

Interference Theory consists of two types of interference in encoding and recall- Proactive Interference and Retroactive Interference. Proactive Interference occurs when information already present in memory inhibits the addition of new information. Retroactive Interference is when newly acquired information inhibits recall of older information from memory.

In the given situation, you would initially experience proactive interference (you have difficulty memorizing your new phone number because your old phone number is inhibiting its storage in the memory). After six months, you experience retroactive interference (you now remember your new phone number, but it seems to have "replaced" the memory of your old phone number and hence, new information is inhibiting recall of older information).

For example, you mistakenly heard a guest at a party introduce themselves as "Marion", when what she really said was "Maria". You now think her name is Marion and a few months go by before somebody corrects you and tells you her name really is Maria. You have trouble remembering this new information and still call her Marion when you meet her the next day. This is proactive interference- trouble remembering new information because of older information already being fortified in the memory.

You finally end up learning that her name is Maria. A few years later you jokingly start to tell a friend at a party how you initially thought her name was- what? And you forget the name you initially thought she had. This is retroactive interference- trouble recalling older information because of newly present information.