Presentation on Forgetting why people forget . Interference (Mc Geoch)

Proactive interference occurs when previously learned information makes it difficult to learn or recall new information. For example, if you learned French first, it might interfere with your ability to learn Spanish later.

Retroactive interference happens when newly acquired information impairs the recall of older information. For instance, if you learn a new phone number, it might make it harder to remember your old phone number.

John McGeoch's work in the 1930s was foundational in establishing interference as a significant cause of forgetting, moving away from earlier theories that focused solely on decay.