Adam is trying to remember information for his psychology exam, but similar information that he studied in sociology is also being retrieved, interfering with his thinking process. This interference is most similar to:
A) priming
B) the fan effect
C) spreading of activation
D) procedural memory

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fan effect refers to the phenomenon where an increase in the amount of learned information about a concept or a stimulus leads to an increase in the time required to retrieve specific information about that concept. In Adam's case, the similar information from sociology that is being retrieved is causing interference with his psychology exam material, which aligns with the fan effect's description of increased difficulty in retrieving specific information due to the presence of additional, related information.

Adam Is Trying to Remember Information for His Psychology Exam