Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Interference and Decay01:16

Interference and Decay

381
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...
381
Forgetting01:21

Forgetting

313
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...
313
Interference and Superposition of Waves01:07

Interference and Superposition of Waves

6.3K
When two waves of the same nature occur in the same region simultaneously, they result in interference. Interference of waves implies that the net effect of the waves is the sum of the individual waves' effects. However, it does not imply that the individual waves affect the propagation of other waves.
Interference occurs in mechanical waves, such as sound waves, waves on a string, and surface water waves. Mechanical waves correspond to the physical displacement of particles. Hence,...
6.3K
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory01:26

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

1.9K
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...
1.9K
Storage01:23

Storage

303
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...
303
Implicit Memories01:24

Implicit Memories

394
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...
394

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Hippocampal transformations occur along dimensions of memory interference.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Hippocampal Drift Rate Reflects the Temporal Organization of Memories.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2025
Same author

Hippocampal-guided reconstruction of an event's prior temporal context.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Temporal asymmetry of neural pattern similarity predicts recognition memory decisions.

Communications biology·2025
Same author

Repulsion of hippocampal representations driven by distinct internal beliefs.

Current biology : CB·2025
Same author

Benefits of spaced learning are predicted by the re-encoding of past experience in ventromedial prefrontal cortex.

Cell reports·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 3, 2026

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions
10:38

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

Published on: July 16, 2015

14.0K

Interference between overlapping memories is predicted by neural states during learning.

Avi J H Chanales1, Nicole M Dudukovic2, Franziska R Richter3

  • 1Department of Psychology, New York University, 6 Washington Place, New York, NY, 10003, USA. avi.chanales@nyu.edu.

Nature Communications
|November 27, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Reactivating older memories during new learning integrates overlapping information, significantly reducing memory interference and improving recall. This finding challenges traditional views on memory encoding and interference reduction.

More Related Videos

Inter-Brain Synchrony in Open-Ended Collaborative Learning: An fNIRS-Hyperscanning Study
04:44

Inter-Brain Synchrony in Open-Ended Collaborative Learning: An fNIRS-Hyperscanning Study

Published on: July 21, 2021

4.8K
Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques
08:05

Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques

Published on: June 30, 2020

8.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 3, 2026

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions
10:38

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

Published on: July 16, 2015

14.0K
Inter-Brain Synchrony in Open-Ended Collaborative Learning: An fNIRS-Hyperscanning Study
04:44

Inter-Brain Synchrony in Open-Ended Collaborative Learning: An fNIRS-Hyperscanning Study

Published on: July 21, 2021

4.8K
Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques
08:05

Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques

Published on: June 30, 2020

8.0K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Memory interference from overlapping information is a major cause of forgetting.
  • Existing theories suggest encoding related memories as unrelated to minimize interference.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanism by which reactivation of older memories reduces interference during new memory encoding.
  • To determine if memory integration during encoding mitigates retrieval interference.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a behavioral paradigm to isolate memory interference during retrieval.
  • Utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with decoding techniques.
  • Examined spontaneous memory reactivation during new encoding.

Main Results:

  • Reactivating older memories during new encoding significantly reduced retrieval interference.
  • Spontaneous reactivation during encoding led to the integration of overlapping memories.
  • Memory integration during encoding was specifically linked to reduced interference between competing memories.

Conclusions:

  • Contrary to intuition, integrating overlapping memories during encoding, via reactivation, effectively reduces interference.
  • This study provides a neural mechanism (memory integration) explaining how reactivation benefits memory by reducing interference.