UNLEARNING JOHN MAJOR: THE USE OF ERRORLESS LEARNING IN THE REACQUISITION OF PROPER NAMES FOLLOWING HERPES SIMPLEX ENCEPHALITIS

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Abstract
In this study we examined the value of errorless learning as a means of restoring memory for proper names in an individual who had becomedysnomic following herpes simplex encephalitis. In Experiment 1 the errorless learning technique was used to teach the subject (PM) the names of eightpoliticians thathe had forgotten. In evaluating thetechnique, we also examined whether there was any generalisation to the naming of untrained politicians' names that he had also forgotten and whether the technique had any effect on politicians' names he was able to produce at the outset of training. Training was successful in that PM reached criterion on naming the trained faces but there was no recovery of untrained names. Moreover, we also observed inhibition of politicians' name he was able to produce at the outset of the study. Experiment 2 used a similar procedure to teach PM the names of personal friends that he could not remember. However, the technique was modified so as to include a “refresh” trial at the end of each training session for those friends' names he was already able to produce. Errorless learning again facilitated the reacquisition of names but there was no inhibition of names available at the outset. These data illustrate that errorless learning can be used as a means of restoring lost vocabulary but demonstrate how retrieval inhibition is an important element in evaluating overall effectiveness. In addition, the data are discussed in relation to recent theories of memory restoration.