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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
08:05
A Prediction Error-driven Retrieval Procedure for Destabilizing and Rewriting Maladaptive Reward Memories in Hazardous Drinkers
Published on: January 5, 2018
A neural network model of retrieval-induced forgetting.
Kenneth A Norman1, Ehren L Newman, Greg Detre
1Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA. knorman@princeton.edu
Psychological Review
|October 3, 2007
Summary
Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) impairs memory recall. A new neural network model explains how RIF strengthens target memories and weakens competing ones in the brain.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Computational Neuroscience
Background:
- Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) is a phenomenon where recalling a memory impairs recall of related memories.
- Existing models do not fully explain the mechanisms underlying RIF in semantic and episodic memory.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel neural network model explaining the brain mechanisms of retrieval-induced forgetting.
- To account for puzzling findings related to RIF and generate new predictions.
Main Methods:
- Developed a neural network learning algorithm utilizing feedback inhibition oscillations.
- Applied the model to explain RIF effects based on memory strength and retrieval practice.
Main Results:
- The model successfully explains why retrieval practice causes more forgetting than item presentation.
- The model accounts for the influence of competing memory strength and target memory strength on RIF.
- The model addresses the variable generalization of RIF to independent cues.
Conclusions:
- The proposed neural network model provides a unified explanation for various RIF phenomena.
- The model offers novel predictions regarding the boundary conditions of RIF effects.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Forgetting
Forgetting is an intrinsic aspect of human memory, characterized by the gradual loss or inaccessibility of information over time. Hermann Ebbinghaus, a pioneering psychologist, extensively studied this phenomenon and formulated the forgetting curve. This curve illustrates that memory loss occurs rapidly immediately after learning and then decelerates over time. Several mechanisms contribute to forgetting, including encoding failure, storage decay, retrieval failure, and interference.
Encoding...
Encoding...
01:16Interference and Decay
Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
01:12Retrieval
Retrieval is the process of getting information out of memory storage and back into conscious awareness. This ability is essential for daily tasks like brushing hair and teeth, driving to work, and performing job duties. Retrieval occurs in three ways: recall, recognition, and relearning.
Recall involves accessing information without cues, such as during an essay test, where individuals must retrieve facts and concepts from memory unaided. Another example is remembering the name of a colleague...
Recall involves accessing information without cues, such as during an essay test, where individuals must retrieve facts and concepts from memory unaided. Another example is remembering the name of a colleague...
01:24Implicit Memories
Implicit memories, also known as non-declarative memories, are long-term memories that function outside of conscious awareness. These memories influence behavior and skills without explicit knowledge. This type of memory is evident in tasks like playing tennis, snowboarding, and texting. Implicit memory has three subsystems: procedural memory, conditioning, and priming. This type of memory is essential in various activities, from everyday tasks to specialized skills.
One key aspect of implicit...
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01:23Storage
A schema is a mental framework that helps individuals organize and interpret information. Schemata, formed from previous experiences, influence how we process new information: how we encode it, the inferences we make, and how we retrieve it. For instance, a schema for what a typical classroom looks like might include desks, a teacher's desk, a whiteboard, and students in such an environment. This expectation helps us quickly understand and navigate new classrooms without needing to analyze each...
01:26Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or playing an...