limitations of the theories of forgetting

[rh]

can someone please explain what they are?

i only know the limitations of the decay theory because they were in an old vcaa exam assessment report. i looked in my text book and found nothing, so any help would be greeeatly appreciated.

[jess3254]

The ones I have:

Trace decay theory
-Memory decay merely describes the fact of forgetting, not the processes that cause it.

-is difficult to test for verbal material because if participants are tested after different retention intervals, they could well be rehearsing the material thus strengthening the trace.

Interference theory
-Interference theory suffers as a general theory of forgetting because the situations it best deals with are rarely encountered in everyday life. We do not often have to learn similar verbal responses to the same stimuli within a short period of time. Experimental studies of interference lack ecological validity.

-Solso, 1995 has pointed out that studies of interference have largely involved Episodic Memory and whereas this demonstrates that episodic memory may be subject to interference, Semantic Memory is likely to be more resistant.

Motivated forgetting
-The notion of actively blocking the memories we are trying to access is qualitatively different from any other explanation of forgetting and it is a phenomenon that would be useful to investigate in the laboratory. However, to do this the experimenter would need to have the participant
experience something very traumatic and this is not feasible for ethical reasons. (In order words: it is difficult to test under lab conditions)

-Most forgetting cannot be explained in terms of repression.

[Raymond]

could the limitations on the theories of forgetting be a possible question on the 2008 exam..?

[rh]

could be raymond, who knows.

and thanks again for your help jessie!

[arthurk]

im thinking that maybe we should just use the limitations we see in the exams and i doubt they will ask anything on the limitations on anything other than the decay theory.
I've only seen them discuss the limitations of the motivated forgetting theory and its that theres little empirical evidence to support it but decay theory limitations is a must know and there are quite a few you'll probably just need to know one of them, such as it does not explain how at one point we may not be able to recall an event but then when provided with the appropriate retrieval cues we are able to access the information at a later date or the decay theory does not explain how elderly people can recall events about their childhood that they have not periodically thought about yet cannot remember recent events such as what they ate yesterday etc.

[khalil]

Compare retrieval failure theory and interference theory in terms of forgetting.

How would u answer this?....just define each? Similarities/differences?

[amyminchin]

define both, say similarities differences,- it all depends on how many marks.


Also, with decay theory- another limitation is that some memories that have not been used for years are still whole and complete despite not being brought into consciousness for a long period of time while others are no longer whole and complete.

[Lulu]

im thinking that maybe we should just use the limitations we see in the exams and i doubt they will ask anything on the limitations on anything other than the decay theory.
I've only seen them discuss the limitations of the motivated forgetting theory and its that theres little empirical evidence to support it but decay theory limitations is a must know and there are quite a few you'll probably just need to know one of them, such as it does not explain how at one point we may not be able to recall an event but then when provided with the appropriate retrieval cues we are able to access the information at a later date or the decay theory does not explain how elderly people can recall events about their childhood that they have not periodically thought about yet cannot remember recent events such as what they ate yesterday etc.

Use a full stop or two >_<

Those are good points though, copying them into my notes.

[arthurk]

lol sorry ive been using long ass sentences in my psych answers for short answer so now im used to it even my msn sentences are long now:(

with compare questions its really just defining each one, like comparing proactive and retroactive really you just say what each is