How come we can remember a part of a memory but not the whole thing
In: Biology
There are multiple reasons for this. Generally we tend to remember what we deem is most important at the time. Whether that be because we experienced something particularly positive or negative – we generally have a desire to learn from our experiences. Smaller details that are deemed of no importance are often forgotten. If a memory is emotionally charged and overwhelming, there is also the possibility that we may block out certain details that are too distressing.
I’ve read discussions that posit memories are not like watching a video, rather they are composed of discrete components, layered to provide an illusion of “completeness”.
For example: one part consists of the topic, another part might be whether or not the topic is true or false. Another might be details about where and when, another about who was present, etc..
If so, one might remember some details of an event, but not others.
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