Have you ever wondered why you can remember something from years ago but forget what you had for dinner last night? It’s a fascinating question about how our brains work. Let’s dive into it!
Our brains are amazing at storing lots of information, but sometimes it feels like they remember the wrong things. Why is that? According to experts, our brains decide what to remember based on what might be useful for us in the future. But that doesn’t explain why I can remember the names of Scooby-Doo episodes but not my algebra lessons!
Your brain doesn’t know what information will be useful later, so it uses different criteria to decide what to keep. One of the main things it looks for is patterns. If you see, hear, or experience something repeatedly, your brain might decide it’s worth remembering.
Another factor is timing. Your brain tends to remember things that happened first or last because they help make sense of everything in between. That’s why presentations often start and end with important points.
Surprises can make memories stick. If something unexpected happens, you’re more likely to remember it. That’s why you might recall a plot twist in a TV show more than where you left your keys—unless you left them in a really strange place!
Emotions also play a big role. Moments of strong feelings, like happiness, sadness, or anger, are easier to remember than boring or routine events. These emotional memories can be more vivid and lasting.
Your brain also focuses on experiences that lead to good or bad outcomes. If something has a big impact, like a delicious or terrible meal, you’re more likely to remember it. If last night’s dinner was just okay, it might not stick in your memory.
Another important process is called consolidation. This is when your brain strengthens the connections to memories you use often. For example, every time you drive a car, your brain reinforces the memories related to driving, making them harder to forget.
Sleep is crucial for consolidation. While you sleep, your brain organizes and stores information, turning it into knowledge you can use later. So, if you want to remember things better, make sure to get enough sleep!
Now it’s your turn! What’s the most random thing you remember? Share it with us, and keep asking questions. We might explore them in another article!
Think about a recent day and create a memory map. Draw a timeline of your day and mark the moments you remember most vividly. Reflect on why these moments stand out. Was it because of a pattern, emotion, or surprise? Share your map with a classmate and discuss the similarities and differences in what you both remembered.
Go on a memory pattern hunt! Over the next week, pay attention to things you encounter repeatedly, like a song on the radio or a phrase your teacher uses. Keep a journal of these patterns and at the end of the week, see which ones you remember best. Discuss with your class why these patterns might be memorable.
Create a collage that represents a strong emotional memory. Use images, colors, and words that capture the essence of the memory. Present your collage to the class and explain how emotions played a role in making this memory stick. This activity will help you understand the connection between emotions and memory retention.
Write a short story that includes a surprising twist. Share your story with a partner and see if they can remember the twist after a few days. Discuss why surprises make certain memories more memorable and how this can be applied to learning new information.
Conduct a simple experiment to see how sleep affects memory. Memorize a list of words before going to bed and test yourself the next morning. Compare your results with a night when you had less sleep. Share your findings with the class and discuss the importance of sleep in memory consolidation.
**How Do You Decide What to Remember?**
I actually don’t remember. I was hoping that you did. No? Well, that’s some interesting brain talk.
Hey folks, Matt Lieberman here for DNews. Our brains are capable of storing enormous amounts of information, so why do we often feel like our brains prioritize the wrong things when it comes to long-term memory? Every Monday on DNews, we answer your questions, and Yash Bharti wants to know: “Why do I remember something that happened four years earlier but I don’t remember what I ate yesterday for dinner?”
Good question! According to computational neuroscientist Paul King, our brains prioritize memory creation and storage based on what we subconsciously determine as useful for our long-term survival. To that, I respond, okay, that’s all fine and good, but why did my brain remember several names of Scooby-Doo episodes and nothing I learned in algebra? I can’t imagine a situation where my life will be saved by recalling those episode names.
Well, your brain has no way of knowing what types of information will be useful in the future, so it has a variety of criteria to determine what to hold onto. First, your brain is really great at noticing patterns. Repeated facts, sights, sounds, and experiences must all be examined to determine whether they’re worth remembering or if they should fade from perception.
In addition, your brain prioritizes moments or facts presented earlier, as they dictate what’s to come, and whatever happened most recently, as it’s often the most relevant to your current situation. That’s why most presentations begin and end with a summary of key points.
However, the element of surprise may be even more powerful than that. A shocking or unpredictable outcome greatly increases retention, which is why you remember more about last season of a popular show than you do about where you left your keys. I mean, unless you left them in an unexpected place. That would be incredibly surprising.
On top of that, the brain also holds onto memories and thoughts that offer a strong emotional impact. Moments of extreme joy, sadness, or anger, for example, will always be easier to recall than clinical or boring moments, even if they’re valuable for your continued success at work or school.
Finally, and perhaps most significantly, your brain pays very close attention to moments and decisions that lead to positive and negative outcomes. So Yash, maybe you can’t recall what you ate last night for dinner because it simply was unremarkable. If it had been incredible or terrible, that meal would’ve left a strong impression on you and would dictate your future behavior.
Outside of those criteria, your brain decides what to hold onto through another method called consolidation. What is consolidation? Let’s say you just learned how to drive a car. Every time you access the memories associated with your driving skills, aka every time you get behind the wheel of a car, the neuronal connections to those specific memories get stronger, making them that much harder to forget.
Sleep has been shown to be vital to the consolidation of memories. While sleeping, the brain processes subconsciously learned information into tangible knowledge for later use. So if you really want to hold onto your memories and skills, get a good night’s sleep.
So now we want to hear from you: What’s the seemingly most useless thing that you remember? Let us know down in the comments and keep the questions coming, too. We might answer them in another video.
Memory – The ability of the brain to store and recall information and past experiences. – Example sentence: Studying regularly can help improve your memory and make it easier to remember important facts.
Brain – The organ in our head that controls thoughts, emotions, and actions. – Example sentence: The brain is like a supercomputer that processes everything we see, hear, and feel.
Emotions – Feelings that are responses to events or thoughts, such as happiness, sadness, or anger. – Example sentence: Understanding your emotions can help you communicate better with others.
Surprise – A sudden feeling of wonder or amazement caused by something unexpected. – Example sentence: The surprise of winning the science fair made him jump with joy.
Patterns – Repeated designs or sequences that can be observed in behavior or nature. – Example sentence: Scientists study patterns in animal behavior to understand how they survive in the wild.
Timing – The ability to choose the right moment to do something, or the measurement of time intervals. – Example sentence: Good timing is crucial when conducting experiments to ensure accurate results.
Consolidation – The process by which memories become stable and long-lasting in the brain. – Example sentence: Sleep plays an important role in the consolidation of memories after learning new information.
Experiences – Events or activities that leave an impression on someone and contribute to their learning. – Example sentence: Traveling to new places can provide valuable experiences that teach us about different cultures.
Knowledge – Information, understanding, or skills gained through education or experience. – Example sentence: Reading books is a great way to gain knowledge about the world around us.
Sleep – A natural state of rest for the body and mind, important for health and well-being. – Example sentence: Getting enough sleep each night helps improve concentration and memory.
