Final answer:
Retroactive interference is when new information impedes the recall of old information, while proactive interference is when old information hinders the recall of new information.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the learning of new information disrupts the remembering of previous information, this phenomenon is known as retroactive interference. This type of interference occurs when newly acquired information interferes with the recall of older information. For instance, if you learn about Erikson's theory of psychosocial development after studying the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve, you may have difficulty recalling Ebbinghaus's research because the more recent information about Erikson's theory is predominant in your memory.
Proactive interference, on the other hand, is when old information hinders the recall of newly learned information. An example would be repeatedly remembering an old phone number instead of a new one that you just learned. Both types of interference exemplify the dynamic, yet sometimes conflicting, nature of our long-term memory system.
Retroactive interference occurs when new learning disrupts recall of older information; proactive interference affects recall of new information.
Memory is a complex system that is subject to various issues, including interference. Interference can arise in two forms: proactive and retroactive. Proactive interference happens when past memories interfere with the encoding of new ones. An everyday example is when you struggle to remember a new phone number because the old one keeps popping up in your memory. Retroactive interference goes in the opposite direction, with recent information making it harder to recollect older memories. This might happen when you learn a new concept, which then hampers your ability to remember a related concept that you learned earlier. Such interference reflects the competitive interaction between memories within our long-term storage. Different strategies, such as rehearsal and mnemonic devices, are suggested to mitigate the impact of these interferences and enhance memory retention.