Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

2637

Date

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Psychology

Committee Chair

Jason Braasch

Committee Member

Roger Kreuz

Committee Member

Craig Stewart

Abstract

The current research examined whether proactive interference (PI)—when old knowledge interferes with the learning of, and memory for, new knowledge—occurred when reading several argumentative texts on the same topic. We also examined whether retrieval practice could successfully reduce PI in this setting. In Experiment 1, participants read either eight or 24 texts on the same topic; some who read 24 texts completed retrieval practice on the first 16. All participants completed a distractor task, then a final free recall of the texts that they read. Experiment 2 explicitly measured memory for supporting evidence and sources, altered the final recall task to assess prior-text intrusions, and added a condition to rule out fatigue. Across both experiments, analyses suggest that PI occurs in a multiple document context and that this finding is not due to fatigue. Additionally, PI in this context can be reduced—if not eliminated—through retrieval practice.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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