Gone but not forgotten: The transient nature of retrieval-induced forgetting

Recent research has demonstrated that the act of remembering can prompt tem porary forgetting or, more specifically, the inhibition of particular items in memory. Extending work of this kind, the present research investigated some possible boundary conditions of retrieval-induced forgetting. As expec ted, a critical determinant of temporary forgetting was the interval betwee n guided retrieval practice and a final recall test. When these two phases were separated by 24 hr, retrieval-induced forgetting failed to emerge. Whe n they occurred in the same testing session, however, retrieval practice pr ompted the inhibition of related items in memory (i.e., Experiment 1). A de lay of 24 hr between the encoding of material and guided retrieval practice reduced but did not eliminate retrieval-induced forgetting (i.e., Experime nt 2). These findings are considered in the wider context of adaptive forge tting.