The Development Of Retrieval-Induced Forgetting And Its Mechanism

Although researchers have long known about the negative consequences of retrieval, interest in the phenomenon has exploded over the past two decades, sparked by the development of an experimental paradigm, referred to as the retrieval-practice paradigm (hereafter, RP), and a concept known as retrieval-induced forgetting (hereafter, RIF). RIF is defined as the repeated retrieval practice of some materials induces the forgetting of the other materials.Since Anderson et al.(1994) proposed RP; many studies proved that RIF was a very strong, widespread phenomenon. So far, most researches supported inhibitory theory, and that RIF was caused by inhibitory mechanism in the process of retrieval practice, but there was a certain controversy in this explanation. For example, some researchers advised to use interference theory to explain RIF.On the basis of existing results, this study exploded the development difference, factors influencing RIF, and the cognitive neuroscience mechanism of RIF, using the Chinese semantic categories.Three studies including six experiments were carried out.Two experiments were included in Study1. The developmental difference of RIF was explored. In Experiment1, the developmental difference of RIF between eighth grades and undergraduate was examined. In Experiment2, the difference between old people and undergraduate was explored.In Study2, three experiments were included, and the factors that have an effect on RIF were examined. In Experiment3, whether RIF were influenced by item strength and test order was explored. In Experiment4, the effect of inhibitory ability on RIF was examined. In Experiment5, the role of attention load on RIF was explored.One experiment was included in Study3, this study aimed at investigated the cognitive neuroscience mechanism of RIF. The item competitive strength between item and item in category was manipulated. The difference of neural correlates between item competitive strength and item competitive strength and the relationship between item competitive strength and RIF were analyzed, and to show the mechanism of RIF.To summarize the finding of the three studies, the conclusion was made as follows.(1) Eighth grades, college students, and older adults showed significant RIF. Specifically, college students only in the strong item competitive intensity produced RIF, and it was induced by the inhibition mechanism. In contrast, Eighth grades and older adults showed RIF in the weak item competitive intensity, and this forgetting based on interference.(2) Item competitive intensity was one of factors that affected RIF. Relative to weak item competitive intensity, only high item competitive intensity could lead to RIF.(3) Item strength played an important role on RIF. Although the strong item produced significant RIF, the weak item did not.(4) It was important to control the test order when the nature of RIF is investigated. Specifically, when the output interference effect caused by test order was controlled, RIF still occurred.(5) Although RIF was influenced by the difference of inhibitory ability, the impact could vary with item competitive intensity。Specifically, the high-inhibitory ability of individuals only show RIF in high item competitive intensity, but not in low item competitive intensity. The item competitive intensity did not have an effect on RIF for low-inhibitory ability of individuals.(6) RIF was a cognitive activity that demanded cognitive resource, and when individuals were asked to perform other tasks demanding cognitive resource in retrieval practice process, RIF would disappear.