Research indicates that forgetting may be related to encoding, storage, or retrieval processes.
	Much forgetting may only look like forgetting, but it may have never been inserted into memory in the first place–pseudoforgetting–usually due to lack of attention so that encoding does not occur.  Research shows that some encoding approaches lead to more forgetting than others, for example, you are distracted when studying and encode what you are reading on a phonemic rather than a semantic level.
	Decay theory proposes that forgetting occurs because memory traces fade with time.
	Interference theory proposes that people forget information because of competition from other material.
	Proactive interference occurs when previously learned information interferes with the retention of new information, while retroactive interference occurs when new information impairs the retention for previously learned information.
	The encoding specificity principle states that the value of a retrieval cue depends on how well it corresponds to the memory code.