Anthony Zhou Week 13: Remembering Specific Events
Do you only recall very specific moments in your childhood and forget the rest?
I’ve pretty much forgotten everything that happened to me prior to the age of 5. However, there are very random and specific memories that I still can recall.
1) My dad taking a broken bracelet of mine and tying it back together.
2) Eating green eggs and ham for the first time in daycare on Dr. Seuss day.
After reading this article, I believe that I have an explanation as to why these specific, random, memories are the only bits I remember from my childhood.
One defining feature of the longevity of a memory is the circumstances in which you obtained the memory. If a memory involves a traumatic event, that memory will probably stick with you for a long time. Veterans who suffer from PTSD likely witnessed or experienced a traumatic event on the battlefield, and suffers in day-to-day life from unwanted memories of that event. These memories unfortunately tend to stick, making them “memorable,”
These circumstances can also involve the mood that you obtained a memory. In my case, my dad mending my bracelet was an act of affection which I was grateful for, and that feeling of unprecedented gratitude was likely the reason why I still remember it.
Finally, attention is also a huge factor when it comes to remembrance. When I was handed that plate of green eggs and ham, I was hyper-fixated on the strange green color of the common foods, and I was also shocked to see something so delicious look so alien and repulsive. Although I usually forget what I’ve eaten only days after, I still remember those green eggs and ham over a decade later.
Hopefully this blog has provided more insight on why we remember specific events and forget others.
Hi Anthony, I also have a highly specific green eggs and ham memory from my childhood! It was Dr. Seuss day in preschool and the ham was cut into little green cubes that just looked bizarre, which I tried and than felt awful because I remembered that I wasn't allowed to eat meat in my household—so this memory has both novelty and a little bit of trauma attached, fun! I also have a tendency to forget even what I ate for breakfast, but as you explain, there are definitely specific reasons why some breakfasts stick. Your explanations behind why certain memories stay with us while others fall to the wayside is fascinating, and also make me wonder: why do certain people have better memory? Do they have specific characteristics that people with worse memory can try to cultivate for better remembrance? Ultimately, thank you for this intriguing blog!
ReplyDeleteHey Anthony! Your blog made me remember something my sister told me a while back: her friend had memories of her life as a baby! Not a lot, of course, but little snippets here and there. Since this was something I never personally experienced, I made the incorrect assumption that it was not possible. Adding on to what you were saying about the "context" in which memories are made, I believe that maybe this is why others remember memories from certain ages where I do not. I think that this "context" though reveals a bigger theme about how biased we can be within our own perceptions of an event. Not only that, but the emotions with which we regard a certain event, impact the way that it solidifies in our brain. Sort of like how you were saying that you felt such a gratitude to your father when he fixed your bracelet. I wouldn't be surprised if there were snippets of that event that your brain left out, like what broke the bracelet in the first place or how your dad had initially responded to the bracelet. I mean no offense by the way, about that whole memory. I simply mean that it is interesting how we can snapshot a memory, and even, through revisiting that memory time and again, slightly change the event. Anyway, I enjoyed how your piece made me reflect on this idea and I look forward to reading more of your work this semester!
ReplyDeleteHello Anthony! This was such a enjoyable and relatable blog. I liked how you reflected on your childhood memories in order to make a connection with memory retention. The personal story you told about your dad fixing your bracelet and the Dr. Suess breakfast was so heart warming and cute. Your explanation about your emotions was both insightful and well-written. I love how you managed to make complex psychological concepts feel real and accessible. I hope to read more from you in the future!!
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