Interference Effects

Interference effects refer to the phenomenon where the ability to remember information is disrupted by the presence of other, related information. This can happen in two main ways: proactive interference occurs when older memories interfere with the recall of newer ones, while retroactive interference happens when new information makes it harder to remember older memories. Essentially, our brains can struggle to retrieve certain information due to the overlap with similar memories, making recall less reliable. This concept is important in understanding how we learn and remember information in everyday life.