Interference - GCSE Psychology Definition

In GCSE Psychology, "interference" refers to a type of memory problem where different pieces of information get mixed up in our brains, making it hard to remember certain things.

There are two types of interference: proactive and retroactive. Proactive interference happens when old memories make it difficult to learn new information. For example, if you keep remembering the rules from a game you played before, it might be hard to learn a new one. Retroactive interference occurs when new information causes you to forget old information, like forgetting your old phone number after learning a new one.

Understanding interference helps us learn about how memory works and why we sometimes forget parts of what we've learned.