New Book Reveals Surprising Ways Your Memory Really Works

How often do you lose or misplace your keys? If the answer is often, then you’re in luck. Psychologists have said it is not always a sign of a poor memory.

In a new book called The Psychology of Memory, psychologists Megan Sumeracki and Althea Need Kaminske seek to educate people on memory and techniques to improve it. These techniques can also help you remember small things, such as your keys, numbers and names.

In the book, the psychologists write that people need to have a better understanding of how memory works. They add that people also need to understand that forgetting certain details is perfectly normal.

The authors report that memory is not so much like a recording device, as many people see it. Rather, it should be thought of as “more like a Wiki page” that can be edited and changed.

“Because we are most aware of our memory when we have trouble remembering something, our intuitions about how memory works might be a little biased. For example, I spend an embarrassing amount of time looking for my phone, water bottle, and keys. You may be unsurprised to learn that our memory systems are not necessarily designed to remember where we put our phones. Or keys. Or water bottles,” Kaminske wrote.

“Though we would hazard a guess that if we were in a survival scenario where dehydration was a concern, we would be much more aware of water sources. People are better at remembering information when they process it in a fitness-relevant scenario, such as being stranded in the grasslands of a foreign land,” she continued.

Not fully understanding how memory works could have significant effects in real-life scenarios, the authors wrote.

For example, if jurors were taught exactly how memory works, it could change a verdict, they added. This is because victims of crimes may not be fully believed if they are unable to remember certain details—though such forgetfulness is not unusual and should be taken into account in these scenarios, they said.

There are also several factors that need to be considered when understanding memory. Alcohol, caffeine and the amount of sleep one gets each night can have a negative effect on a person’s ability to remember.

There are also ways to improve your memory in day-to-day life. For example, there is a technique called “retrieval practice,” the authors said. This strategy works by retrieving facts from a memory. One example they detailed is learning someone’s name by using it every time you address them. Strategies like this may help improve long-term memory over time.

“Visual and auditory techniques can also help train the memory of normal individuals. The ability to recall the order of cards in a pack seems impressive but can be achieved by creating mental associations for each card,” the authors wrote.

They continued: “Anyone who has studied knows that regular practice is essential. But to become an expert in a field of learning, people need to employ deliberate practice. The difference is that deliberate practice involves purposeful and deliberate attention whereas regular practice just involves repetition.”

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