Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M5010

Retroactive Interference

Retroactive Interference
Learn & MetacognitionHigh supportMemory Psychology
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

New learning interferes with the recall of old memories. For example, after learning a new phone number, you may find it hard to recall the old one after a while.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

The overlay effect of knowledge. If you want to change yourself from the inside out, the best way is not to 'patch' the past, but to input new patterns with high intensity. When the new pattern is strong enough, it physically overlays and inhibits the old pattern (retroactive interference), making you 'forget' your former self.

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A type of memory interference: later-learned material interferes with the retrieval of earlier material (new covers old). It is the opposite of 'proactive interference' (old interferes with new). The mechanism is retrieval cue competition—similar new and old memories compete for the same retrieval pathway, and when the new memory is stronger, the old memory is suppressed. As a model for self-change: high-intensity input of new patterns can 'overlay' old patterns.

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Source support: Explicit

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    zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B9%B2%E6%93%BE%E7%90%86%E8%AB%96ZH · Explicit
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