What does it mean when new information makes it harder to remember old information?

When new information makes it harder to remember old information, this phenomenon is known as retroactive interference. This occurs when the learning of new material interferes with the recall of previously learned material. For example, if you learn a new phone number, it may become more challenging to remember an old phone number because the new information disrupts the retrieval of older memories.

Retroactive interference highlights the dynamic nature of memory and how new experiences can modify our recall abilities. It's an important concept in educational psychology because it informs how we can optimize learning strategies and consider how information is sequenced during instruction to avoid confusion and enhance memory retention.