Which aspect of retrieval-induced forgetting does interference theory have difficulty explaining?

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Question restatement: Which aspect of retrieval-induced forgetting does interference theory have difficulty explaining?

Option 1: 'RIF being observed with practiced cues' — This is something that interference theories can account for, because practicing some items can create strong interference patterns for related items, leading to retrieval-induced forgetting when those practiced cues are used. So this option aligns with what interference accounts typically explain and is not where the theory struggles.

Option 2: 'RP+ items performing better than RP- items' — In retrieval-induced forgetting studies, RP+ items (practiced) are often recalled better than RP- items (unpracticed related items), which reflects a benefit of practice and is compatible with interference-based explanations that emphasize altered accessibility due to selective practice. This option does not highlight a failure of interference theory.

Option 3: 'RIF being observed with novel cues' — Here, interfering cues are novel or not part of the practiced set, yet interference theory has trouble predicting forgetting effects when cues are novel and do not directly map onto the practiced items. Retrieval-induced forgetting under novel cues challenges the idea that forgetting arises simply from item-specific interference within the practiced cues, suggesting a role for inhibitory processes or cue-dependent mechanisms that interference theory does not fully capture.

Option 4: 'RP+ items performing better than NRP items' — This pattern (RP+ better than non-retrieved counterpart items) can be explained by the strengthening of practiced items and related retrieval dynamics within an interference framework, so it does not constitute a primary difficulty for interference theories.

Synthesis: Interference theory explains many classic RIF findings, particularly when the cues are those that have been practiced and when practiced items show boosted recall relative to unpracticed related items. Its main challenge lies in accounting for forgetting that occurs with novel or non-practiced cues, where the observed forgetting cannot be easily attributed to straightforward cue-specific interference and suggests additional mechanisms such as inhibition or cue-based retrieval dynamics beyond simple interference patterns.

PSYC20007_2025_SM2 Week 9: Basics of Memory and Forgetting

Which aspect of retrieval-induced forgetting does interference theory have difficulty explaining?

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