Skip has a big test tomorrow and has studied late into the night. If Skip falls asleep and takes the test first thing in the morning, which of the following would best explain any information he forgets?

A. Decay

B. Retrograde amnesia

C. Interference

D. Anterograde amnesia

A. Decay would best explain the information he forgets.

Explanation:

Decay Theory suggests that short-term memory tends to be more affected than long-term memory, which are impervious to forgetfulness.

The information he is studying right before falling asleep can remain in the short-term memory thus being easily forgotten. An amnesia does not occur because he fell asleep and there is no interference.

Answer: Decay best explains the information he forgets.

Explanation: Amnesia in pathology has to do with a condition associated with memory loss or forgetfulness. Skip has none of these. He simply forgets some information due to the passage of time.

In memory psychology, decay is the loss of short term memory over time.