Long Term Memory

Long-term memory is commonly described as being a somewhat permanent store of knowledge, information and experience gained by an individual over the course of their life (Aschcraft & Radvansky, 2010); long term memory is therefore fairly complex and is comprised of multiple different components which can then be subdivided into explicit memory, information stored consciously in the memory such as a colleagues name, and implicit memory, information that when unconsciously accessed can influence our actions and behaviour including everyday tasks such as driving a car or riding a bike. Two key elements specific to explicit memory are semantic memory and episodic memory; semantic memory refers to general knowledge about the world whereas episodic
Further research showed that both proactive and retroactive interference are maximal when two separate responses have been linked with the same stimulus and minimal when different stimuli are involved. Further significant evidence supporting the interference theory has been found from eye-witness testimony studies where memory of an event or incident is interfered with questioning after the event as the questions asked may somewhat have an impact on the witness’s memory and change their opinion of what they think they saw and therefore reduce their reliability (Eysenck & Keane, 2005). There are multiple ways in which eyewitness’s memory can be affected by interference, one way in which this happens is when the interviewer misleads witness’s with questions that may cause retroactive interference as new or misleading information is given to them