eli5: Why do most people have no memories from before age 4 or 5 years old?
In: 4721
I’ve often wondered this, as most of my friends don’t remember things before 5-6 years of age. My older sister and I both remember a lot of things from our youth, in vivid detail, and never really undersood why others didn’t.
For example, I remember crawling to my grandfather in the house my grandparents lived in. I remember the chair he sat in and him picking me up. I was 15 months old when he passed away. I’ve described the setting to my mother who couldn’t believe it. I also remember where my bedroom was, where the closet was and where my crib was and the mobile that hung above the crib, which again has been verified by my parents. We moved out when I was less than 2 years old.
I’ve only come across a few others that remember things before the age of 3, so I’d love some insight about why some people remember things so vividly while others don’t.
Latest Answers