Memory Inhibition
Recalling some items from a list makes it harder to recall other related items.
Memory inhibition refers to active processes that suppress or block access to certain memories. In retrieval-induced forgetting, practicing recall of some items from a studied set actually impairs later recall of related but unpracticed items. Similarly, retrieval of one memory can interfere with related memories competing for activation. This effect is exploited in eyewitness questioning: leading questions about some details can suppress accurate recall of others.
What it looks like in the wild.
- Education Study Selection A student who heavily reviews certain chapters before an exam finds that other closely related chapters are harder to recall — the practiced material has suppressed competing memory traces.
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188 biases, 18,869 scenarios, and a record of how you actually decide.
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