Retrieval-Induced Remembering and Forgetting

Selectively retrieving a subset of previously studied information enhances memory of the retrieved information but can cause forgetting of nonretrieved information. This chapter reviews the literature on such retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF), asking whether the forgetting depends on testing format, is retrieval specific and interference dependent, is modulated by retention interval after selective retrieval, and varies between individuals. The most prominent theoretical accounts of RIF are introduced and evaluated against the empirical findings. Also some more recent studies are reviewed, which indicate that, under certain conditions, selective retrieval can also improve memory of the nonretrieved information.