Proactive vs Retroactive Interference Flashcards
Practice 42 original English flashcards on memory interference: both directions, target and competitor checks, paired scenarios, and missing-evidence decisions.
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Practice proactive and retroactive interference with 42 original English flashcards for introductory psychology. Each classifiable case states when the material was learned, what the person is trying to recall, and which competing memory blocks it. These are simplified hypothetical situations: use the obstruction stated in the prompt. An ordinary error or episode of forgetting alone does not establish its cause.
The cards practice term-to-direction definitions, direction-to-term recall, scenario-to-label decisions, and identifying the target or competing memory. Eight separated scenario pairs switch the requested target while keeping the same learning chronology. Six component checks, eight claim repairs, and six evidence checks help catch reversed labels and conclusions drawn from missing information. Some cases use changed rules; others use two associations that remain valid.
The sequence introduces the two directions, the target, and acquisition order before mixing applications, reverse recall, repairs, and evidence checks. Each paired scenario has at least five unrelated cards between its two forms. Answers put the result first and give a short reason. Every card uses the memory-interference tag; the review scheduler handles longer-term spacing after installation.
Arbitrary label-to-example prompts are omitted because many examples would be correct. Famous-study trivia, detailed neuroscience, clinical diagnosis or treatment, and broad memory-theory coverage are outside this focused deck. No exam or complete-course alignment is claimed. For a longer explanation, read the proactive vs retroactive interference lesson.
The questions, scenarios, answers, organization, and metadata were written independently with AI assistance and checked against reference facts. No competitor cards, textbook examples, examination questions, source prose, or diagrams were copied. Factual references are the APA Dictionary entries for proactive interference, retroactive interference, and interference, plus Jeffrey C. Levy's Memory chapter in Psychology, published under CC BY 4.0. The reference works retain their own rights; facts are not claimed as proprietary.
Original material, including the AI-generated decorative cover, is dedicated under CC0 1.0 to the extent applicable rights exist. This is independent study material without institutional endorsement.
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Kort 1
Fråga
Proactive interference: which learning hinders which memory?
Svar
Earlier learning hinders learning or recalling later material. The competing material was acquired first.
Kort 2
Fråga
In a memory-interference case, what is the target memory?
Svar
The information the person is trying to learn or recall. Identify it before deciding the interference direction.
Kort 3
Fråga
Retroactive interference: which learning hinders which memory?
Svar
Later learning hinders recalling earlier material. The competing material was acquired after the target.
Kort 4
Fråga
In proactive and retroactive interference, what makes a memory earlier or later?
Svar
When the material was learned. The time of its most recent recall does not set its acquisition order.
Kort 5
Fråga
Eli first learned that a blue badge means the Pine hiking club, then that it means the Tower chess club in a different badge system. Both remain valid. Asked for the hiking club, Tower keeps intruding and blocks recall of Pine. Which interference direction?
Svar
Retroactive interference. The later chess association hinders recall of the earlier hiking association.
Kort 6
Fråga
A grower first learned that tray K held basil, then learned it had been replanted with mint. Asked what tray K holds now, the basil memory intrudes and blocks recall of mint. Which interference direction?
Svar
Proactive interference. Earlier basil learning hinders recall of the later mint information.
Kort 7
Fråga
Nora learned a shop's old closing bell, then its replacement bell. Nothing is said about whether either memory makes the other harder to recall. Is interference established?
Svar
No; the blocking relationship is missing. Two learned items alone do not show that either one interferes with the other.
Kort 8
Fråga
What is the term for earlier learning hindering recall of later-learned material?
Svar
Proactive interference. The hindering memory was acquired before the requested material.
Kort 9
Fråga
Leah first learned to finish a dish with parsley, then learned a revised version with dill. Asked for the revised version, the parsley instruction keeps intruding and blocks recall. What is the target memory?
Svar
The revised instruction to use dill. It is the information Leah is asked to recall; parsley is the competitor.
Kort 10
Fråga
A pupil learned the kite symbol's meaning on Monday and the leaf symbol's meaning on Tuesday. On Wednesday the pupil recalled kite. Repair: 'Kite is now the later-learned memory.'
Svar
Kite remains the earlier-learned memory. Recalling it on Wednesday does not change when it was originally acquired.
Kort 11
Fråga
Mika first learned a paint mix with two spoonfuls of white, then a revised mix with four. Asked for the earlier mix, the four-spoon instruction intrudes and blocks recall. Which learned instruction is the competitor?
Svar
The later instruction to use four spoonfuls of white. It obstructs the requested earlier mix.
Kort 12
Fråga
What is the term for later learning hindering recall of earlier-learned material?
Svar
Retroactive interference. The hindering material was acquired after the requested material.
Kort 13
Fråga
A volunteer first learned that cloths go in the low cabinet, then learned the new rule placing them in the tall cabinet. Asked for the new location, the low-cabinet memory intrudes and blocks recall. Which interference direction?
Svar
Proactive interference. The earlier location hinders recall of the later location.
Kort 14
Fråga
Rae first learned that the matinee opens with a flute cue, then that the evening show opens with a drum cue. Both cues remain correct for their shows. Asked for the evening cue, the flute cue intrudes and blocks recall. Which interference direction?
Svar
Proactive interference. The earlier matinee association hinders recall of the later evening association.
Kort 15
Fråga
Repair this rule: 'If a memory-interference prompt mentions an old memory, the answer must be retroactive.'
Svar
The label depends on which memory obstructs which target. An earlier memory blocking a later target is proactive; a later memory blocking an earlier target is retroactive.
Kort 16
Fråga
A clerk first learned to mark completed forms with a dot, then learned a replacement rule using a tick. Asked how forms were marked under the earlier rule, the tick instruction intrudes and blocks recall. Which interference direction?
Svar
Retroactive interference. The later tick rule hinders recall of the earlier dot rule.
Kort 17
Fråga
A singer first learned to start a song softly, then learned a revised arrangement with a loud start. Asked for the earlier arrangement, the loud start keeps intruding and blocks recall. What is the target memory?
Svar
The earlier instruction to start softly. The requested arrangement sets the target, even though another arrangement was learned later.
Kort 18
Fråga
A grower first learned that tray K held basil, then learned it had been replanted with mint. Asked what tray K held before replanting, the mint memory intrudes and blocks recall of basil. Which interference direction?
Svar
Retroactive interference. Later mint learning hinders recall of the earlier basil information.
Kort 19
Fråga
Kai learned two associations for a star emblem: Cedar team and Harbor team. Asked for Cedar, Harbor intrudes and blocks recall. The account does not say which association was learned first. Can the direction be classified?
Svar
Not from this account; acquisition order is missing. The target and competitor are clear, but their earlier/later relationship is unknown.
Kort 20
Fråga
Repair this claim: 'Proactive interference is decided by which response comes to mind first during the test.'
Svar
Proactive interference is decided by earlier learning obstructing later material. The order in which responses come to mind during a test does not define the label.
Kort 21
Fråga
Sam first learned to stamp bowls before glazing, then learned a revised studio procedure stamping after glazing. Asked for the earlier procedure, the after-glazing instruction intrudes and blocks recall. Which interference direction?
Svar
Retroactive interference. The later procedure hinders recall of the earlier procedure.
Kort 22
Fråga
A maker first learned that the sample called Dawn is wool, then that the sample called Dusk is cotton. Asked for Dusk's fabric, the wool association intrudes and blocks recall of cotton. Which memory is the competitor?
Svar
The earlier association between Dawn and wool. It obstructs recall of the requested Dusk association.
Kort 23
Fråga
A helper first learned that bread deliveries arrive on Tuesday, then learned that the schedule changed to Friday. Asked for the current day, Tuesday intrudes and blocks recall of Friday. Which interference direction?
Svar
Proactive interference. The earlier Tuesday schedule hinders recall of the later Friday schedule.
Kort 24
Fråga
Eli first learned that a blue badge means the Pine hiking club, then that it means the Tower chess club in a different badge system. Both remain valid. Asked for the chess club, Pine keeps intruding and blocks recall of Tower. Which interference direction?
Svar
Proactive interference. The earlier hiking association hinders recall of the later chess association.
Kort 25
Fråga
A dancer first learned a left-step ending, then a revised right-step ending. Asked for the earlier ending, the right step intrudes and blocks recall. Repair: 'This is proactive because the left step is old.'
Svar
This is retroactive interference. The later right-step learning obstructs the requested earlier left-step ending.
Kort 26
Fråga
Jo first learned that a circle token means rest in a travel game, then that it means swap in a puzzle game. Both meanings remain valid in their games. Asked for the travel-game meaning, swap intrudes and blocks recall of rest. Which interference direction?
Svar
Retroactive interference. The later puzzle-game association hinders recall of the earlier travel-game association.
Kort 27
Fråga
A student first learned that a triangle marks a campsite on one map key, then that a triangle marks a lookout on another. Asked for the second map's meaning, campsite intrudes and blocks recall. What is the target memory?
Svar
The second map's association between triangle and lookout. The requested map key identifies the target.
Kort 28
Fråga
A volunteer first learned that cloths go in the low cabinet, then learned the new rule placing them in the tall cabinet. Asked for the earlier location, the tall-cabinet memory intrudes and blocks recall. Which interference direction?
Svar
Retroactive interference. The later location hinders recall of the earlier location.
Kort 29
Fråga
A learner first learned Elm for a square symbol, then Bay for the same symbol in another chart. The account says the associations interfere but never specifies which chart's meaning is being recalled. Can you assign one direction?
Svar
Not from this account; the requested target is missing. You need to know which association obstructs recall of which other association.
Kort 30
Fråga
Rae first learned that the matinee opens with a flute cue, then that the evening show opens with a drum cue. Both cues remain correct for their shows. Asked for the matinee cue, the drum cue intrudes and blocks recall. Which interference direction?
Svar
Retroactive interference. The later evening association hinders recall of the earlier matinee association.
Kort 31
Fråga
Repair this claim: 'Forgetting something learned yesterday proves retroactive interference.'
Svar
Forgetting alone does not prove retroactive interference. You need evidence that later-learned material hinders recall of that earlier target.
Kort 32
Fråga
A packer first learned to fold a label inward, then a replacement method folding it outward. Asked for the new method, the inward fold intrudes and blocks recall. Which learned method is the competitor?
Svar
The earlier inward-fold method. It obstructs recall of the later outward-fold method.
Kort 33
Fråga
A clerk first learned to mark completed forms with a dot, then learned a replacement rule using a tick. Asked how forms are marked under the new rule, the dot instruction intrudes and blocks recall. Which interference direction?
Svar
Proactive interference. The earlier dot rule hinders recall of the later tick rule.
Kort 34
Fråga
A visitor never heard or learned the name of an exhibit. Asked for its name, the visitor cannot give it. Does this establish proactive or retroactive interference?
Svar
Neither direction is established. There is no learned target memory in the account, so the failure does not demonstrate one memory blocking another.
Kort 35
Fråga
Repair this claim: 'Retroactive interference means earlier learning blocks recall of later learning.'
Svar
Retroactive interference means later learning blocks recall of earlier learning. The claimed direction was reversed.
Kort 36
Fråga
Sam first learned to stamp bowls before glazing, then learned a revised studio procedure stamping after glazing. Asked for the revised procedure, the before-glazing instruction intrudes and blocks recall. Which interference direction?
Svar
Proactive interference. The earlier procedure hinders recall of the later procedure.
Kort 37
Fråga
A baker first learned a round-loaf pattern, then an oval-loaf pattern. Asked for each in turn, the baker recalls both accurately and without difficulty; neither memory obstructs the other. Which interference direction is shown here?
Svar
Neither. This account explicitly describes successful recall without obstruction, so it shows neither proactive nor retroactive interference.
Kort 38
Fråga
Repair this claim: 'Proactive or retroactive interference requires the competing fact to have become false.'
Svar
Both facts can remain valid. Interference concerns one learned association obstructing the requested other association, with direction set by acquisition order.
Kort 39
Fråga
A helper first learned that bread deliveries arrive on Tuesday, then learned that the schedule changed to Friday. Asked for the former delivery day, Friday intrudes and blocks recall of Tuesday. Which interference direction?
Svar
Retroactive interference. The later Friday schedule hinders recall of the earlier Tuesday schedule.
Kort 40
Fråga
Repair this claim: 'Learning two similar facts automatically establishes memory interference.'
Svar
Interference also requires one learned item to hinder learning or recall of the other. Similarity and two learning events alone do not establish that relationship.
Kort 41
Fråga
Jo first learned that a circle token means rest in a travel game, then that it means swap in a puzzle game. Both meanings remain valid in their games. Asked for the puzzle-game meaning, rest intrudes and blocks recall of swap. Which interference direction?
Svar
Proactive interference. The earlier travel-game association hinders recall of the later puzzle-game association.
Kort 42
Fråga
A pupil first learned a red flag for Group A, then a green flag for Group B. Asked for Group B's flag, the pupil says red. Nothing establishes why the answer was wrong. Is proactive interference proved?
Svar
No; the cause of the error is not established. Red matches earlier learning, but the account does not show that this memory obstructed recall of green.
42 kort
Proactive vs Retroactive Interference Flashcards
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