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After studying biology all afternoon, alonzo is having difficulty remembering details of the organic chemistry material he memorized that morning. alonzo's difficulty best illustrates

a. the spacing effect.
b. retroactive interference
c. source amnesia.
d. proactive interference.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Alonzo's difficulty in remembering organic chemistry after studying biology is an example of proactive interference, where old information (biology) interferes with the recall of new information (organic chemistry).

Step-by-step explanation:

Alonzo's difficulty best illustrates proactive interference, where old information hinders the recall of newly learned information. In this case, the organic chemistry details he memorized in the morning are being blocked by the new biology details he studied in the afternoon. This is a common occurrence when one tries to learn similar subjects within a short span of time.

Proactive interference happens when information learned previously interferes with the ability to recall more recently learned information. The example of struggling to remember a new phone number because the old one keeps coming to mind is a classic example of this type of interference.

Retroactive interference, on the other hand, is when new information learned hinders the recall of older information, which is not the case with Alonzo as he is having trouble with the details he learned earlier not later. Therefore, understanding the difference between proactive and retroactive interference is essential for identifying the correct type illustrated in Alonzo's scenario.

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