Memory Making

            Many of us rely on our memories to do much of what we do on a day to day basis.  It’s something we all have that we often take it for granted.  Without our memories, we would not be able to function in our world.  We would just forget everything as they come and go, and live the next moment as if the past did not just happen.  There will be much confusion and frustration if we did not have our memories. 

            Scientists believe that we essentially have two kinds of memory—short-term memory and long-term memory.  Short-term memory is a resource with limited space, and can only take in so much information.  Some researchers have estimated that we can probably store about 5-9 items in this short-term memory storage system.  In order to retain this information, we need to keep on repeating the information to ourselves, just like we do when we are trying to remember a string of numbers being recited to us.  Once we remember something without having to rehearse it over and over again, the memory is said to have already been transferred to our long-term memory.  Scientists really do not know how long we can retain information stored here.  There is a general belief that long-term memory is forever, unless our brains get damaged for some reason or another. 

            Information rehearsed in short-term memory gets moved to long-term memory fairly easily.  When we make sense of something and put meaning into it, then we are better able to remember that bit of information.  For example, if we are remembering a string of numbers that is the telephone number of an acquaintance, we might use our previous knowledge to remember it.  If the number is, say, 4212469, which is PsychConsult’s number, we might think that 421 is somewhat counting backwards and 2469 is somewhat counting forwards in two’s.  This now becomes our key in remembering this set of numbers, which makes it easier to recall. 

            So, putting meaning into the new bit of information and making sense of it, even though it is something personal, is a way of making bits of information stick to our long-term memories.  This process that entails embedding new sets of information into what we already know is called the process of “consolidation.”  This happens more quickly when we consciously and purposively make sense of the information we are being presented.  The more connections we make between the new information and the wealth of knowledge we already have, the easier that memory gets recalled later on. 

            Usually, the more organized our thoughts are, the easier they are stored in our memories.  When needed, organized information is also easier to retrieve.  And so, this is yet another way that we can make sure we remember a complex set of information.  We need to organize them in a way that is sensible to us.   

            As adults, we are able to think about how we remember things.  We are able to analyze the ways that we think and remember.  This is helpful if we want to improve the way we remember things.  Next week, I will write about some ways to enhance our memories.