Research shows that when people are presented an irrelevant distractor stimulus at the end of a word list they must recall, it impairs their ability to recall the last item on the list compared to a control group to whom there was no distractor stimulus.This finding is evidence for which theory of forgetting?
A)decay theory
B)interference theory
C)motivated forgetting theory
D)retrieval failure theory

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Interference theory suggests that forgetting occurs because memories compete with and disrupt each other. In this case, the irrelevant distractor stimulus acts as competing information that interferes with the recall of the last item on the list, aligning with the principles of interference theory.

Research Shows That When People Are Presented an Irrelevant Distractor