While talking on the phone,you notice your cat heading for an expensive vase on the end table.You race to retrieve the cat,and when you return to the phone,you have no idea what you were talking about.Why did you forget?
A) You experienced proactive interference.
B) When you turned your attention to the cat,the phone conversation was replaced with new information.
C) The phone conversation was a cue-dependent memory.
D) The phone conversation was a mood-congruent memory.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the person turned their attention to retrieving the cat, new information was introduced into their working memory, causing interference with the previous information being processed. As a result, the person forgot what they were talking about on the phone. This is an example of retroactive interference. Neither proactive interference, cue-dependent memory, nor mood-congruent memory are likely explanations for this scenario.

While Talking on the Phone,you Notice Your Cat Heading for an Expensive