Final answer:
Proactive interference occurs when previously learned information hinders the retrieval of new information, commonly seen when old contact details are remembered instead of new ones. It is a form of memory interference that differs from procedural memory and the persistence of memory.
Step-by-step explanation:
When information learned previously disrupts the recall of new information, this phenomenon is known as proactive interference. This is a common occurrence that can affect anyone's ability to learn and remember new information. For instance, have you ever struggled to remember someone's new phone number because their old number keeps popping into your head? That's proactive interference at work. Similarly, when you continue to write the previous year's date at the start of a new year, you're experiencing proactive interference where the old information is hindering your ability to recall the newly learned information.
Procedural memory, another concept in memory study, is a type of long-term memory that involves skills and actions. While procedural memory aids us in performing tasks without conscious thought, it is not directly involved with proactive interference, which specifically deals with the recall of factual or declarative information.
Persistence of memory is another form of memory recall issue, where unwanted memories repeatedly come to mind, affecting our ability to concentrate on other tasks. However, this is distinct from proactive interference, as persistence refers to the continuous recall of certain memories, whereas proactive interference relates to the difficulty in learning new information because of previously learned information.