According to interference theory, what causes forgetting?

Interference theory posits that forgetting occurs when competing information disrupts the ability to retrieve a specific memory. This theory suggests that memories can compete with one another, leading to confusion and difficulty in recalling the desired information. In everyday experiences, this can be observed when new learning interferes with old memories, or vice versa. For instance, learning a new phone number may cause someone to struggle to remember their previous number, highlighting the impact of similar information vying for cognitive resources.

Lack of retrieval cues pertains to difficulties in accessing stored memories but does not specifically address the competition aspect emphasized by interference theory. Similarly, insufficient encoding and weak mnemonic strategies refer to the ways in which information is initially processed and remembered, rather than how competing memories cause forgetting. Therefore, the notion that competing information causes forgetting aligns closely with the core principles of interference theory, making it the correct choice in this context.