Presentation 1

1. INTRODUCTION OF PSYCHOLOGY
Forgetting Theories

2. INTRODUCTION
There are four major theories of forgetting that should be dicussed in some detail :
• Decay theory – which states that time alone causes memory traces to fade.
• Interference theory – which suggests that other memories interfere with
remembering.
• Motivated forgetting theory – which suggests that we forget information that
is unpleasant or threatening.
• Retrieval failure theory – which propose that information memory must be
distorted when we attempt to recall it.
* We will discuss about Decay Theory, Interference Theory & Motivated Failure
Theory.

3. SIGNIFICANCE
DECAY THEORY
we do not know whether the failure to recall
something reflects that it is no longer in our
memory, or that it reflects retrieval
failure. Perhaps it is still there but we cannot
retrieve the memory for some reason.
The theory that information in memory
eventually disappears if it is not accessed
(Wade & Tavris, 2011).

4. Interference theory – Forgetting occurs because similar items of
information interfere with one another in either storage or retrieval. The
information may get into memory and stay there but it becomes confused
with other information.
PROACTIVE INTERFERENCE - When
competing information that prevents
recall has been learned before the
forgotten item, as in the case of the
forgotten phone number, the process is
called proactive interference.

5. RETROACTIVE INTERFERENCE– According
to Comer & Gomer (2013), retroactive
interference occurs when new information
prevents the retrieval of previously learned
information.
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6. MOTIVATED FORGETTING
• Motivated forgetting arises from strong motive or desire to forget,
usually because the experience is to disturbing or upsetting to remember.
• For example,
a) We do tend to recall more pleasant than unpleasant things.
b) trauma victims don’t have full memories of traumatic events.

7. Discussion
 Decay Theory
Interference Theory
Motivated Forgetting

8. CONCLUSION
• Decay theory, interference theory and motivated forgetting is three fact in
forgetting theory that always happen to us. Therefore, either our memory may
fade way, being interfered or even purposely forget, forgetting will always be
happened if we did not trying to rehearsed.
• By focusing our learning strategies on the strengths of the brain’s memory
systems, we may be able to learn more information.