Is scent-enhanced memory immune to retroactive interference?
Maureen Morrin, Aradhna Krishna, May O. Lwin
Journal of Consumer Psychology · 2011 · Volume 21 · Issue 3
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcps.2011.02.008
Abstract
Research shows that scent enhances memory for associated information. Current debate centers around scent's immunity to “retroactive interference,” i.e., reduced memory for earlier-learned information after exposure to additional, subsequently-learned information. This paper demonstrates that scent-enhanced memory is indeed prone to retroactive interference, but that some of the information lost is restored using a scent-based retrieval cue. Two process explanations for interference effects are proposed, with the evidence providing more support for an inhibition rather than a response competition explanation. The results enhance our understanding of the encoding and retrieval of olfactory information from long-term memory, and reasons why interference occurs.
Keywords
Scent, Memory, Retroactive interference, Olfactory uniqueness
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