Why do we forget things or lose memories over time?
In: 54
Former memory researcher, here.
Hypothetically, once a memory is encoded into long-term memory, it is there forever. So when you can’t remember something, it’s not because it isn’t there, but rather that you can’t find your way back to that memory.
Think about a memory like a cabin in a dense forest. If you visit that cabin often, there will be a well worn path to get there and its easy to find your way. But when you don’t visit a memory often, the path becomes overgrown and harder to find. You may not be able to locate the cabin anymore.
Now, even if we don’t visit our cabin often, we can leave ourselves clues on how to get there. For instance, if you always have delicious smelling pies cooling on the windowsill of your cabin, you can use the smell AND the path to get there. So even if the path is worn down, you’re not totally lost.
Latest Answers