AP Psychology Lesson: Forgetting and Memory Errors

Unit: Cognition | Lesson: 5 of 6 | Topic: Forgetting and Memory Errors
AP Exam Weighting: 15%–25% of exam score 
Instructions: Complete this lesson during class by filling in the blanks and answering questions. All information needed is provided or will be researched in class. This lesson prepares you for the AP Psychology exam by exploring how forgetting and memory errors influence behavior, a key concept in cognition. Use the provided spaces to write your answers clearly, focusing on applying concepts critically.

Warm-Up

Purpose: Get you thinking about why we forget things.
Questions:

  1. Have you ever forgotten where you parked your bike or car?

  2. Why might you remember some events clearly but forget others?
    Your Answers: Write a short response (1–2 sentences) for each question.

  3.  
  4.  

Key Concepts

Instructions: Read the information below and answer the questions to learn core AP concepts. For definitions, write them in your own words based on the content or look up a different definition if directed by your teacher (e.g., via apa.org or Google Scholar).
Content: Forgetting is the inability to retrieve stored information. The forgetting curve (Ebbinghaus) shows rapid memory loss over time without rehearsal. Interference includes proactive (old information blocks new) and retroactive (new information blocks old) effects. Amnesia involves significant memory loss, like anterograde (can’t form new memories) or retrograde (can’t recall old memories). Example: Forgetting a friend’s name after learning new names shows retroactive interference. Misinformation effect distorts memories based on misleading information (e.g., recalling a stop sign as a yield sign). Memory errors affect behaviors like eyewitness testimony. Stress and lack of sleep exacerbate forgetting.

  1. Define forgetting in your own words: _______________________________

  2. Define interference in your own words: _______________________________

  3. Define misinformation effect in your own words: _______________________________

  4. Explain how proactive interference influences a behavior, using a specific example:

  5. Explain how retrograde amnesia influences a behavior, using a different example:

  6. How does the forgetting curve explain memory loss over time?

  7. Why might stress increase forgetting in a high-pressure situation?

  8. How could the misinformation effect impact legal proceedings?

Guided Activity

Instructions: Work in pairs to complete the two tasks below. Write your answers and be prepared to share one key point from each task with the class.
Task 1: Scenario Analysis: Scenario: A student forgets last year’s math formulas after learning new ones this year. Analyze how retroactive interference and the forgetting curve contribute to this behavior. For example, consider how new learning or time affects recall.
Your Response for Task 1: Explain the role of each concept in the behavior.

Class Share for Task 1: Note one point you’ll share.

Task 2: Case Application: Imagine a witness to a crime recalls details incorrectly after hearing a news report. Apply the concepts of misinformation effect and interference to explain their error. For example, evaluate how external information or prior memories distort recall.
Your Response for Task 2: Apply the concepts to explain the witness’s error.

Class Share for Task 2: Note one point you’ll share.

Class Assignment  - Refer to this unit’s assignment to complete it.

Instructions: Read the study summaries below and answer the questions. If directed by your teacher, use a classroom device to find a related study (e.g., via apa.org or Google Scholar) to deepen your analysis.
Study Summary 1: A 2017 study showed that proactive interference caused students to struggle with new vocabulary when old words were similar, reducing learning efficiency.
Question 1: How does this study demonstrate the impact of interference on behavior, and what might mitigate its effects?

Study Summary 2: A 2019 study found that misleading questions altered eyewitness memory of a car accident, illustrating the misinformation effect.
Question 2: Evaluate how this study shows the misinformation effect’s influence on behavior, and suggest one factor that might reduce its impact.

AP Exam Connection: This practices analyzing and evaluating research, a key skill for FRQs.

AP Exam Practice

Instructions: Answer the question below. We’ll review answers as a class to learn exam strategies.
Free-Response Question (FRQ):
Explain how interference, the misinformation effect, and the forgetting curve interact to influence a specific behavior (e.g., recall, decision-making, or testimony). Provide one example for each factor (interference, misinformation effect, forgetting curve) and analyze how they interact to shape the behavior.

Closure

Instructions: Write a brief summary (2–3 sentences) of two key ideas you learned today about how forgetting and memory errors influence behavior.

Extended Practice

Instructions: Complete the tasks below based on today’s lesson to reinforce AP skills.

  1. Review your answers from this lesson.

  2. Write a detailed paragraph (5–7 sentences) applying today’s topic to a real-life behavior (e.g., how forgetting affects your schoolwork or conversations). Include references to interference, misinformation effect, and the forgetting curve, and explain their interaction.

  3. Find a short article or study on forgetting or memory errors (e.g., via apa.org) and write 2–3 sentences summarizing its relevance to today’s lesson. Cite the source (e.g., website or article title).

Last modified: Wednesday, 6 August 2025, 8:09 PM