{"id":23372,"date":"2021-01-09T09:47:43","date_gmt":"2021-01-09T13:47:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=23372"},"modified":"2021-01-15T19:07:19","modified_gmt":"2021-01-15T23:07:19","slug":"myths-about-memory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/myths-about-memory\/","title":{"rendered":"Debunking the Top 2 Myths About Memory"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What are the most common myths about memory? How do memory myths keep you from making sense of your past experiences?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a few common myths about memory that hinder people\u2019s ability to understand and manage their memories. Just like the other brain functions<\/a>, when you know how your brain stores and processes memories, you can prevent them from controlling you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 2 most common myths about memory debunked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Myths About Memory Function<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Myth #1: <\/strong>One of the most common myths about memory is that it is akin to a filing cabinet that holds an organized record of all your life experiences. In reality, memory is a network of associations you make among the thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations that comprise an experience.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every experience causes neurons (brain cells) to fire off electrical signals in response to particular smells, sights, tastes, sounds, sensations, emotions, or thoughts. For example, certain neurons fire because your child hears a whistle, others fire in response to the anxiety she feels because her swim instructor is forcing her to jump into the deep end. All those neurons firing at the same time become linked in the brain, creating associations<\/strong>\u2014your swim instructor blowing the whistle for you to jump in the pool\u2014which you recall as a memory.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more often certain neurons fire together, the stronger the association becomes. Eventually, one sensation triggers your child to expect the second sensation, and she can\u2019t hear a whistle without feeling anxious. In other words, your child\u2019s past experiences and the associations they\u2019ve created directly impact how she perceives each present moment.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myth #2: <\/strong>Have you ever been talking about a shared memory with a friend and found out that she remembers the event differently? Memories are not accurate records of events\u2014in fact, every time you remember something, the act of recalling the memory alters it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as your mood and thoughts during the experience<\/em> become encoded as part of the memory, your state of mind when you recall<\/em> the event becomes associated with the memory, as well. Sometimes the mood and environment you\u2019re in when you remember something can alter the memory significantly.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What are the most common myths about memory? How do memory myths keep you from making sense of your past experiences? There are a few common myths about memory that hinder people\u2019s ability to understand and manage their memories. Just like the other brain functions, when you know how your brain stores and processes memories, you can prevent them from controlling you.  Here are 2 most common myths about memory debunked.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":23381,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,160],"tags":[186],"class_list":["post-23372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-psychology","category-science","tag-the-whole-brain-child","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nDebunking the Top 2 Myths About Memory - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are a few common myths about memory that hinder our ability to manage our memories. 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