| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences |
| Editors | James D. Wright |
| Publisher | Elsevier B.V. |
| Pages | 613-620 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Edition | Second |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780080970875 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780080970868 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 12 Mar 2015 |
Abstract
Retroactive interference (RI) refers to when newly acquired information impairs the retention of previously acquired information. RI is observed in both the declarative and nondeclarative divisions of the long-term memory system. RI is observed across the life span. However, susceptibility to RI is heightened in the elderly and patients with memory impairments. RI is believed to occur via two mechanisms: (1) retrieval interference, where two or more memories sharing the same/highly similar retrieval cue compete for retrieval, and (2) consolidation interference, where new incoming information disrupts the memory strengthening of recently acquired memory traces. Consolidation RI appears to be the main contributor of RI-induced forgetting, the effects of which can be reduced if consolidation RI is delayed and/or minimized. Here we discuss representative behavioral and neuroscience research demonstrating the effects of RI.
Keywords
- Consolidation interference
- Declarative memory
- Episodic memory
- Forgetting
- Implicit memory
- Interference theory
- Long-term memory
- Memory consolidation
- Nondeclarative memory
- Procedural memory
- Retrieval interference
- Retroactive interference
- Semantic memory
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Social Sciences