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Recall under interference task

Recall under Interference task(An explorationof human memory capacity)

Rida Abbas

Karachi University

Submitted to Sir Emaduddin

Course incharge: Si Emaduddin

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Recall under interference task
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Recall under interference task

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of interference on memory recall using a recall under
interference task. Participants were presented with a list of digits and then asked to recall the
digits in the correct order with an interfering task. The results showed that the presence of
interference significantly impaired recall performance, with participants in the interference
condition exhibiting lower recall accuracy . The findings suggest that interference can disrupt
the retrieval process, leading to decreased recall performance. The implications of these
findings for our understanding of human memory and the effects of interference on cognitive
performance are discussed.

This task also had some problem such as those numbers which had some associations and the
repeatation of words because of these our hypothesis is not completely proven.

We use psychoPy software for our task and phython which is a versatile and widely used
programming language.
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Recall under interference task

Introduction

Human memory is complex and dynamic system that is susceptible to various types of
interference.One of the most common forms of interference is proactive interference, where
previously learned information interferes with the recall of new information.the recall under
intereference task designed to assess an individual’s ability to recall a sequence of digits under
conditions of interference.

Three variables were used in this experiment which are Independent variable,Dependent
variable,Control variable.

Independent variable includes Interfering stimulus(the type and duration of the interfering
stimulus, such as a seconde sequence of digits that is presented before recall),Interfering
stimulus duration(the length if time the interfering stimulus is presented),Digital stimulus(the
number of digits in original sequence to be re called) and Types of interference(the type of
interference usedsuch as proactive interference, retroactive interference or no interference)

Dependent variable includes Recall accuracy(the percentage of correct recalls of the original
digit sequence),Recall latency(the time taken to recall to the original digit sequence) and Error
rate(the number or error made during recall).

Control variable include Participants age(the age of participants which can affect cognitive
abilities),Participants educational level(the level of education which can affect cognitive
abilities, Participants prior experience( any prior experience with similar cognitive tasks), and
Task difficulty( the level of difficulty of the tasks which can affect performance).

Independent variable in our experiment is the 3 digits that is presented before call, the time
duration which is 5,10, and 18 seconds. In Dependent variables the time such as 5, 10 and 18
sec and the error made such as 911 was incorrected by 7 students. Control variable include the
participants of university.

Hypothesis

When duration is low the recall is highest when duration is high the recall is low.
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Recall under interference task

Methadology

Technique

Convinent sampling technique.

Sample

Material:

The material required for experiment include participant which done the experiment, libarary
(a silent place) , laptop and computer.

Research Design:

A list of 15 digit Participants are The number of

A group of
number is asked to recall correctly
students are
presented on the the digit recalled digit is
required for task.
screen. numbers. measured
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Recall under interference task

Procedure

Randomly selected participants from University took them to a silent room which is a library,
participants were seated ,explain them the purpose and the procedure of task. Present the list
of 15 digits every digit has different time duration such as some digits had duration of 5 seconds
10 seconds and 18 seconds; ask participant to record the digit correctly. Collect participants
response through keyboard and mouse interface. After completing the task the students leave
the library.
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Recall under interference task

Result

Result 5 second trials (T=240) 10 second trials (T=240) 18 second trial(T=240)

Incorrect Correct Incorrect Correct Incorrect Correct

112 128 140 100 136 104

46.7% 53.3% 58.3% 41.7% 56.7% 43.3%

Table 1 results from all trials combined

911(18 second trial)(T= 48)

Incorrect Correct

7 41

14.6% 85.4%

Table 2 results from trials of the number 911

5 second trials(T=96) 10 second trials(T=144) 18 second trials(T=96)

Incorrect Correct Incorrect Correct Incorrect Correct

55 41 94 50 82 14
57.3% 42.7% 65.3% 34.7% 85.4 % 14.6%

Table 3 Results excluding repetitive numbers

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Recall under interference task
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Recall under interference task

Discussion

Interference in the context of memory recall refers to the disruption of retrieving information
from memory due to the presence of other information. When interference occurs, it can affect
the accuracy and efficiency of recalling memories. There are two main types of interference
that impact recall: proactive interference and retroactive interference.

Proactive interference happens when old memories interfere with the recall of new
information. For example, if you previously learned a list of words and then try to learn a new
list, the old words might interfere with your ability to recall the new ones. On the other hand,
retroactive interference occurs when newly learned information disrupts the recall of old
memories. This can be seen when learning a new password that interferes with remembering
an old one.

Understanding interference in memory recall is vital in various fields such as education,

psychology, and cognitive science. By recognizing how interference affects memory, individuals
can employ strategies to minimize its impact and enhance memory retrieval. Effective study
habits, mnemonic devices, and spaced repetition are techniques that can help mitigate
interference and improve memory recall accuracy.

We use psychoPy which is the open source software package for designing and running
psychology experiments, particularly those involving visual and auditory Stumuli. It allows
researchers to create, run, and analyse experiments using a variety of methods, including
behavioural, neuro imagining and physiological measures.

In this task we use python which is a versatile and widely used programming language that has
numerous applications across various fields.

Our hypothesis will be partially proved . The problem which we faced in our task is in the digits
of 911, mostly participants remember that number because it associates with some kind of
history; almost 41 participants answered it correctly and 7 participants done it wrong and the
other problem which we faced in our task is the repeatation of numbers such as 377, 733; so
the participants remembered it easily.
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Recall under interference task

Reference

Here are some references related to Recall Under Interference Task in psychology:

Journal Articles

1. Baddeley, A. (2003). Working memory: Looking back and looking forward. _Nature Reviews
Neuroscience, 4_(10), 829-839.

2. Conway, A. R. A., & Engle, R. W. (1994). Working memory and retrieval: A resource-
dependent inhibition model. _Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 123_(4), 354-373.

3. Jonides, J., & Nee, D. E. (2006). Brain mechanisms of proactive interference in working
memory. _Neuroscience, 139_(1), 181-193.

4. Postle, B. R. (2006). Working memory as an emergent property of the mind and brain.
_Neuroscience, 139_(1), 23-38.

Books

1. Anderson, J. R. (2009). _Cognitive psychology and its implications_ (7th ed.). Worth
Publishers.

2. Baddeley, A. (2012). _Working memory: Theories, models, and controversies_. Oxford

University Press.

3. Eysenck, M. W., & Keane, M. T. (2015). _Cognitive psychology: A student's handbook_ (7th
ed.). Psychology Press.

Conference Proceedings

1. Nee, D. E., & Jonides, J. (2008). Neural mechanisms of proactive interference in working
memory. _Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105_(37), 13173-13178.

Online Resources
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Recall under interference task

1. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). _Working memory_. Retrieved from (link

unavailable)

2. Scholarpedia. (n.d.). _Working memory_. Retrieved from (link unavailable)