Memory is a function of the brain that allows us not only to remember information, but also to form an idea of who we are. Without memory, a person would not be able to build relationships, advance in the service, and even remember what his favorite dish is. What are the most interesting scientific facts about this amazing brain function?
Memory capacity
The ability of the brain has been seriously underestimated by scientists in the past. Researchers from the United States have come to the conclusion that human memory is capable of containing 10 times more data than previously thought. The human brain contains up to a petabyte of information - and this is the volume of almost the entire Internet. Or it can be compared to three million hours of a television show.
Forgetting early memories begins in childhood
Do you remember the first time you started walking? Or your first day in kindergarten? For most of us, the answer to this question is no. But at what age do these moments begin to be forgotten? Psychologists at Emory University are interested in this issue. In the course of their research, they found out that there is a phenomenon called "childhood amnesia." According to their research, babies aged 5 to 7 over time forget almost 60% of all events that happen to them. Eight- and nine-year-olds are able to recall less than 40% of events.
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A good night's sleep allows for more memories
It is a well-known fact that the brain functions much better when a person is well rested. One study showed an interesting fact. People trained in special finger movements (like those taught by pianists) were best able to reproduce them after twelve hours of rest.
“When you sleep, it’s like the brain moves memory arrays to other areas where information is stored better,” says Matthew Walker of the Sleep and Imagination Lab at Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston.
Passing through a doorway contributes to forgetting information
“Walking from one room to another, a person risks forgetting what he was thinking a few minutes ago. The passage serves as a kind of "event boundary" in consciousness, which divides the activity into different episodes, "emphasizes psychologist Gabriel Radnavski. Together with a team of scientists, he investigated the difference in the perception of people moving within the same room and those who moved from room to room. It turned out that the latter forget information 2-3 times more often.
Interestingly, the same pattern applies to the mental imagination of the transition. Therefore, if you need to remember any thing, you should not think about the door. Further research by Radnavski complemented his theory. When the participants were told to imagine themselves walking through the doorway, they were less likely to recall the information they had previously thought about.
Sounds are less memorable than other types of information
Scientists estimate that about 65% of the entire human population is visual. In other words, in order to remember information, they need a visual component. Only 1/5 of everything heard remains in the memory of a person. Visual support can improve the memorization of new information by 400%.
World memory record exists
At just ten years old, Nishal Narayanam broke the first ever memory record. He was able to reproduce a number of 225 random object names. It took him 12 minutes to memorize this chain. After a few years, he was also able to become a champion in memorization of numbers. Nishal reproduced the string of 132 numbers without errors.
There is the most optimal age for memorizing faces …
The ability to associate names with faces only gets worse after age 30. This conclusion was made by scientists from Dartmud and Harvard universities. Obviously, our ability to identify faces reaches its peak by the age of 30 (for different people, it can occur between 30 and 34 years). Gradually, this ability decreases, and in the period from 70 to 80 years, a person is already able to recognize only about 75% of all familiar forms.
… And there is also an optimal age for remembering names
Those areas that allow you to remember new names and other important information begin to age from the age of 20. Fortunately, involutional changes are so insignificant that a person does not notice them until the age of 60-70.
Life hack for better memorization: closed eyes
Of course, you can look a little strange sitting in a lecture or meeting with your eyes closed. But memory will thank you for that. One study in the field of forensic psychology showed that when people close their eyes, they are able to answer questions 23% more correctly. Closing his eyes, a person fencing off external stimuli, and helps the brain to focus on memories.
Depression has a significant impact on the ability to reproduce information
People suffering from depression are already having a hard time. But recent discoveries by scientists have shown that, in addition to other negative effects of depression, this condition also has a destructive effect on the brain. A study involving 1,111 people showed that those suffering from depression face a deterioration in short-term memory. They also have a decrease in brain volume. In addition, depression increases the risk of vascular damage to the brain.
Some lies are easier to remember than others
The fact remains that everyone lies. But what exactly lies about influences in a surprising way our previous tales that we tell others. False descriptions are easier to remember than false negatives, according to research by scientists at the University of Louisiana.
One researcher, Sean Lane, explains: “If I lie about what I didn't do, it’s harder to remember all the details of my fictional story. If the lies are about what I have done, then the brain will face a much easier task."
Love at first sight is nothing more than fiction
Do you remember the moment when you had to experience love at first sight? Psychologists say that in reality such a phenomenon does not exist. This is just one of the tricks that our brains use to guide us around.
The moment a person first meets the object of his adoration, he actually projects the feelings he already has in relation to the former partner onto the new person. “Our memory transforms and adjusts events to create a story that best suits current circumstances,” explains lead researcher Donna Joe Bridge.
Exercise in meditation can improve memory
Mindfulness practice makes memory more receptive to new information. In one University of California study, student participants meditated for 45 minutes four times a day. As a result, they showed 60% higher scores on exams than those who did not practice meditation.
Lefties are better at remembering events
People with the left hand as their dominant hand make up only 10% of the population. But this small group of people - and those who train the other arm on purpose - have a better memory than the rest. The fact is that left-handed people have a more developed corpus callosum in the brain, which connects both hemispheres. It also contributes to better memorization of information.
Author: Valentina Buravleva Black Rikky