Retrieval-induced forgetting: evidence for a recall-specific mechanism
Abstract
Previous work has shown that recalling information from long-term memory can impair the long-term retention of related representations--a phenomenon known as retrieval-induced forgetting (Anderson, Bjork, & Bjork, 1994). We report an experiment in which the question of whether retrieval is necessary to induce this form of impairment was examined. All the subjects studied six members from each of eight taxonomic categories (e.g., fruit orange). In the competitive practice condition, the subjects practiced recalling three of the six members, using category-stem cues (e.g., fruit or__). In the noncompetitive practice condition, the subjects were reexposed to these same members for the same number of repetitions but were asked to recall the category name by using the exemplar and a stem as cues (e.g., fr__orange). Despite significant and comparable facilitation of practiced items in both conditions, only the competitive practice subjects were impaired in their ability to recall the nonpracticed members on a delayed cued-recall test. These findings argue that retrieval-induced forgetting is not caused by increased competition arising from the strengthening of practiced items, but by inhibitory processes specific to the situation of recall.
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Interference occurs through retrieval inhibition.
“In such paradigms, interference occurs through retrieval inhibition (Adams and Dickinson, 1981; Anderson et al., 2000; MacLeod and Macrae, 2001; Wixted, 2004).”
From Rethinking motor learning and savings in adaptation paradigms: model-free memory for successful actions combines with internal models (2011) · cites this paper as Anderson et al., 2000
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- Authors
- Anderson, M. C., Bjork, E. L., & Bjork, R. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Oregon (US)
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Corresponding author
- Anderson, Michael C.
- Venue
- Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
- Published
- 2000-09
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 522-530
- ISSN
- 1069-9384 (ISSN-L)
- 1531-5320
- OpenAlex
- W2054727733
- Cited by
- 417
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 27
- FWCI
- 4.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Psychonomic Bulletin & Review (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- retrieval-induced forgetting, inhibitory processes, long-term memory retention, competitive practices, cued recall
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Cues, Female, Humans, Inhibition, Psychological, Male, Memory, Practice, Psychological, Mental Recall, Retention, Psychology, Verbal Learning
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