Final answer:
The student is learning about associative memory, which is the brain's way of connecting related stimuli or events, making it different from interference types like retroactive and proactive interference.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student asking about a psych student making links between historical figures and her favorite movie characters is exploring associative memory. Associative memory is when our minds naturally connect stimuli or events that occur together. This concept differs from retroactive interference and proactive interference, which involve difficulties in recalling information due to the presence of other information. Retroactive interference happens when newly learned information hinders the recall of older information, while proactive interference occurs when old information inhibits the recall of newly learned information.