Memory | Psychology Today United Kingdom

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en-GB" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#"> <head> <title>Memory | Psychology Today United Kingdom</title> <meta charset="utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html" /> <script>window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; window.dataLayer.push({"":"Psychology Today","entityLangcode":"en","page_type":"node","drupal_node_type":"reference","drupal_node_nid":"53812","drupal_node_title":"Memory","userUid":0,"event":"drupal_node_view","ContentWeb":"Basics"});</script> <meta name="description" content="Memory is the faculty by which the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves information. It is a record of experience that guides future action." /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Psychology Today" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Memory" /> <meta property="og:description" content="Memory is the faculty by which the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves information. It is a record of experience that guides future action." /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/magazine_384x504/public/magazine/2024-10/2024-11.png.jpg?itok=MK2t-Nce" /> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="220580041311284" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, maximum-scale=1.0, user-scalable=0" /> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1" /> <meta http-equiv="x-dns-prefetch-control" content="on" /> <meta name="theme-color" content="#191C1F" media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)" /> <meta name="theme-color" content="#F2F2F2" media="(prefers-color-scheme: light)" /> <meta name="alexaVerifyID" content="ruuD3Gzrr-EaY185APFbxF69Va4" /> <meta name="google-site-verification" content="G-wasBQCXXJoehIaVW5BsO9VYKt4oqmWGo155wSSakQ" /> <meta name="y_key" content="0f29d521db0a2863" /> <meta name="msvalidate.01" content="9AD6650A37790044983CFB6B27D77607" /> <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes" /> <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="Psych Today" /> <meta name="robots" content="index,follow" /> <script type="application/ld+json">{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "dateCreated": "2009-03-17T15:36:35-0400", "dateModified": "2024-05-30T13:20:29-0400", "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory", "url": "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory", "name": "Memory", "alternateName": [ "Memory" ], "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Memory" }, "mainEntity": { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "inDefinedTermSet": "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics", "name": "Memory", "url": "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory" }, "mainContentOfPage": { "@type": "WebPageElement", "name": "What Is Memory?", "text": "Memory is the faculty by which the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves information. It is a record of experience that guides future action.\r\n\r\nMemory encompasses the facts and experiential details that people consciously call to mind as well as ingrained knowledge that surface without effort or even awareness. It is both a short-term cache of information and the more permanent record of what one has learned. The types of memory described by scientists include episodic memory, semantic memory, procedural memory, working memory, sensory memory, and prospective memory.\r\n\r\nEach kind of memory has distinct uses鈥攆rom the vivid recollections of episodic memory to the functional know-how of procedural memory. Yet there are commonalities in how memory works overall, and key brain structures, such as the hippocampus, that are integral to different kinds of memory.\r\n\r\nIn addition to memory鈥檚 role in allowing people to understand, navigate, and make predictions about the world, personal memories provide the foundation for a rich sense of one鈥檚 self and one鈥檚 life鈥攁nd give rise to experiences such as nostalgia.\r\n\r\nTo learn more, see Types of Memory, How Memory Works, and Personal Memories and Nostalgia.\r\n" }, "relatedLink": [ "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/dementia", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/trauma", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/aging", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/mild-cognitive-impairment", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/nootropics", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/false-memories", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/neurological-assessment", 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class="center--basic--full center-page"> <div class="content-header d-flex reference-header"> <div class="content-header--text"> <h1 class="reference__title section-title">What Is Memory?</h1> <p class="reference__review-info fine-print"> <a href="/gb/docs/editorial-process" class="reference__review-info-link"> <span class="reference__review-info-icon"></span> <span class="reference__review-info-text">Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff</span> </a> </p> </div> </div> <div> <div class="reference__body"> <div class="field-name-body"> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Memory is the faculty by which the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves information. It is a record of experience that guides future action.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Memory encompasses the facts and experiential details that people consciously call to mind as well as ingrained knowledge that surface without effort or even awareness. It is both a short-term cache of information and the more permanent record of what one has learned. The </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/types-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>types of memory</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> described by scientists include </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/episodic-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>episodic</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> memory, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/semantic-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>semantic memory</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/procedural-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>procedural memory</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/working-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>working memory</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/sensory-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>sensory memory</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/prospective-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>prospective memory</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Each kind of memory has distinct uses—from the vivid recollections of episodic memory to the functional know-how of procedural memory. Yet there are commonalities in </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/how-memory-works"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>how memory works</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> overall, and key brain structures, such as the hippocampus, that are integral to different kinds of memory.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In addition to memory’s role in allowing people to understand, navigate, and make predictions about the world, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/personal-memories-and-nostalgia"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>personal memories</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> provide the foundation for a rich sense of one’s self and one’s life—and give rise to experiences such as </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/personal-memories-and-nostalgia"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>nostalgia</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><em><span>To learn more, see </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/types-memory"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>Types of Memory</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><em><span>, </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/how-memory-works"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>How Memory Works</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><em><span>, and </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/personal-memories-and-nostalgia"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>Personal Memories and Nostalgia</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><em><span>.</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> </div> </div> <div class="reference__sections"> <div> <div> <div class="section section--separator"> <div class="h2 section-title"> Forgetting and Problems With Memory </div> <div class="section__body"> <article> <img src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_180x180/public/2020-10/pexels-juan-pablo-serrano-arenas-1101726%20%281%29_0.jpg?itok=Nsvj_kFW" width="180" height="180" alt="" title="Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas from Pexels" loading="lazy" /> </article> <p><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/memory-loss"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Memory loss</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> is the unavoidable flipside of the human capacity to remember. Forgetting, of course, is normal and happens every day: The brain simply cannot retain a permanent record of everything a person experiences and learns. And with advancing age, some decline in memory ability is typical. There are strategies for coping with such loss—adopting memory aids such as calendars and reminder notes, for example, or routinizing the placement of objects at risk of getting lost. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In more severe cases, however, memory can be permanently damaged by <span><span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/dementia" title="Psychology Today looks at dementia" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">dementia</a></span></span> and other </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/disorders-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>disorders of memory</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Dementia is a loss of cognitive function that can have various underlying causes, the most prominent being Alzheimer’s disease. People with dementia experience a progressive loss of function, such that memory loss may begin with minor forgetfulness (about having recently shared a story, for example) and gradually progress to difficulty with retaining new information, recognizing familiar individuals, and other important memory functions. Professional assessment can help determine whether an individual’s <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/mild-cognitive-impairment" title="Psychology Today looks at mild memory loss" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">mild memory loss</a> is a function of normal aging or a sign of a serious condition.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Memory disorders also include multiple </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/disorders-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>types of amnesia</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> that result not from diseases such as Alzheimer’s, but from brain injury or other causes. People with amnesia lose the ability to recall past information, to retain new information, or both. In some cases the memory loss is permanent, but there are also temporary forms of amnesia that resolve on their own.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><em><span>To learn more, see </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/memory-loss"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>Memory Loss</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><em><span> and </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/disorders-memory"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>Disorders of Memory</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><em><span>.</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="pt-ad pt-ad--300x250 d-block d-none d-md-block d-lg-none block" id="block-ad-subpage-300x250-programmatically-rendered"> <div class="pt-ad--container pt-ad-show-text"> <div class="pt-ad--text"> <span>article continues after advertisement</span> </div> <div id="div-gpt-ad-1404853927369-9" class="pt-ad--content"> <script type="text/javascript"> if (window.googletag && googletag.apiReady) { googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1404853927369-9'); }); } </script> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="section section--separator"> <div class="h2 section-title"> Building Better Memory </div> <div class="section__body"> <article> <img src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_180x180/public/2020-10/pexels-tristan-le-1642883_0.jpg?itok=Q2_nZG-y" width="180" height="180" alt="" title="Photo by Tristan Le from Pexels" loading="lazy" /> </article> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Though memory naturally declines with age, many people are able to stay mentally sharp. How do they do it? <span><span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/genetics" title="Psychology Today looks at Genes" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">Genes</a></span></span> play a role, but preventative measures including regular exercise, eating a healthy <span><span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/diet" title="Psychology Today looks at diet" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">diet</a></span></span>, and getting plenty of sleep—as well as keeping the brain active and challenged—can help </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/memory-loss"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>stave off memory loss.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The science of memory also highlights </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/how-improve-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>ways anyone can improve their memory</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, whether the goal is sharpening memory ability for the long term or just passing exams this semester. Short-term </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/how-improve-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>memory tricks</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> include mnemonic devices (such as acronyms and categorization), spacing apart study time, and self-testing for the sake of recalling information. Sleep and exercise are </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/how-improve-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>other memory boosters</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Through committed practice with memory-enhancing techniques, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/extraordinary-memory-abilities#memory-champions"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>some people train themselves</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> to remember amazing quantities of information, such as lengthy sequences of words or digits. For a small number of people, however, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/extraordinary-memory-abilities"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>extraordinary memory abilities</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> come naturally. These <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/intelligence" title="Psychology Today looks at gifted" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">gifted</a> rememberers include savants, for whom powerful memory coincides with some cognitive disability or neurodevelopmental difference, as well as people with typical intellects who remember exceptional quantities of details about their lives.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><em><span>To learn more, see </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/how-improve-memory"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>How to Improve Memory</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><em><span> and </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/extraordinary-memory-abilities"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>Extraordinary Memory Abilities</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><em><span>.</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="section section--separator"> <div class="h2 section-title"> Memory鈥檚 Role in Mental Health </div> <div class="section__body"> <article> <img src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_180x180/public/2021-01/pexels-polina-zimmerman-3958470.jpg?itok=wfY_ZMRt" width="180" height="180" alt="Photo by Polina Zimmerman from Pexels" title="Photo by Polina Zimmerman from Pexels" loading="lazy" /> </article> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Memory is a key element in </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/memory-and-mental-health"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>certain mental health conditions</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>: Abnormal memory function can contribute to distress, or it can coincide with an underlying disorder. Forgetfulness is associated with <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/depression" title="Psychology Today looks at depression" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">depression</a>; connections in memory, such as those involving feared situations or drug-related cues, are an integral part of <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/anxiety" title="Psychology Today looks at anxiety" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">anxiety</a> and substance use disorders; and post-<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/trauma" title="Psychology Today looks at traumatic" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">traumatic</a> symptoms are entwined with the </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/memory-and-mental-health#trauma-and-memory"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>memory of traumatic experiences. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In fact, experiences such as distressing memories and flashbacks are among the core symptoms of post-traumatic <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/stress" title="Psychology Today looks at stress" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">stress</a> disorder. For someone with <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder" title="Psychology Today looks at PTSD" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">PTSD</a>, a range of cues—including situations, people, or other stimuli related to a traumatic experience in some way—can trigger highly distressing memories, and the person may seek to avoid such reminders.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As a feature of various mental disorders, aberrant or biased memory function can also be a target for treatment. Treatments that involve exposure <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/therapy" title="Psychology Today looks at therapy" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">therapy</a>, for example, are used to help patients reduce the power of trauma-related memories through safe and guided encounters with those memories and stimuli associated with the trauma. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><em><span>To learn more, see </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/memory-and-mental-health"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>Memory and Mental Health</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><em><span>.</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="center--next_page_link d-flex"> <a href="/gb/basics/memory/types-of-memory" title="Types of Memory">Next: Types of Memory</a> <div class="center--next_page_arrow"></div> </div> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="js-view-dom-id-d9d18b2c7c9a80496f51c1252d0c075e46d5ad4e016e054dc3bff0faf7433ffb"> <section class="basics--essential-reads"> <div class="h2 page-section-header">Essential Reads</div> <div class="teaser--card-inset-details--row"> <article class="teaser--card-inset-details blog_entry--teaser--card-inset-details" data-nid="5026979"> <div class="card-inset-details__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/homeless-mind/202411/countering-cognitive-immobility"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_3_2_600x400/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/anita-jankovic-m5oFzzrcKwc-unsplash.jpg?itok=hynmiHzM" width="600" height="400" alt="" title="Anita Jankovic / Unsplash" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__body"> <div class="card-inset-details__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/homeless-mind/202411/countering-cognitive-immobility" title="Countering Cognitive Immobility"> Countering Cognitive Immobility </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__teaser-text"> Feeling stuck in the past can weigh on our minds, holding us back from the present. This post offers practical tips to help you let go and move forward. </div> </div> </article> <article class="teaser--card-inset-details blog_entry--teaser--card-inset-details" data-nid="5025770"> <div class="card-inset-details__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/the-baby-scientist/202410/on-the-benefits-of-napping"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_3_2_600x400/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/shutterstock_1971164837.jpg?itok=rCOVOEZZ" width="600" height="400" alt="" title="RONNACHAIPARK/Shutterstock" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__body"> <div class="card-inset-details__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/the-baby-scientist/202410/on-the-benefits-of-napping" title="On the Benefits of Napping"> On the Benefits of Napping </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__teaser-text"> Feel like taking a nap? Here's what science says about why you should do it, when, and for how long. </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="teaser--card-inset-details--row"> <article class="teaser--card-inset-details blog_entry--teaser--card-inset-details" data-nid="5026865"> <div class="card-inset-details__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/small-things-big-questions/202411/why-cramming-doesnt-work"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_3_2_600x400/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/pexels-ron-lach-8086357.jpg?h=d3c6d4cb&itok=gtk3YgeW" width="600" height="400" alt="" title="Ron Lach / Pexels" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__body"> <div class="card-inset-details__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/small-things-big-questions/202411/why-cramming-doesnt-work" title="Why Cramming Doesn't Work"> Why Cramming Doesn't Work </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__teaser-text"> If you ever tried cramming all your learning in one night before the exam, you know it doesn't usually work. Surprisingly, this has little to do with the brain. </div> </div> </article> <article class="teaser--card-inset-details blog_entry--teaser--card-inset-details" data-nid="5026809"> <div class="card-inset-details__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/homeless-mind/202411/trapped-in-war-zones"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_3_2_600x400/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/alexander-grey-DjrtjX-obcE-unsplash.jpg?itok=n8snM5v7" width="600" height="400" alt="" title="Alexander Grey / Unsplash" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__body"> <div class="card-inset-details__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/homeless-mind/202411/trapped-in-war-zones" title="Trapped in War Zones"> Trapped in War Zones </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__teaser-text"> Soldiers who have served in distant wars may remain mentally stuck in those places long after they have returned home. Here's what we can learn from this phenomenon. </div> </div> </article> </div> </section> </div> </div> </div> <div class="h2 page-section-header page-section-header--with-divider">Recent Posts</div> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="js-view-dom-id-8ec174a229e531a581e7440cf8f5fbd4cd9beb9f79befc4e39fa6494fb27d7c3 layout-container--grid--content-main-additional basics--recent-posts"> <div class="layout-content-main"> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5027535"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/how-my-brain-works/202411/the-relationship-between-music-and-alzheimers-disease"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/keyboard-7312016_1280.jpg?itok=Iz3KXlhL" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="diyennanmandee/Pixabay" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/how-my-brain-works/202411/the-relationship-between-music-and-alzheimers-disease" rel="bookmark">The Relationship Between Music and Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Brain structures linked to musical memory remain mostly undamaged by the disease. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Brain structures linked to musical memory remain mostly undamaged by the disease. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5027367"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/rethinking-thought/202411/learning-by-touching"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/field_blog_entry_images/2024-11/ChimpanzeeGilesLaurentKibaleForest12-14-22.jpg?itok=Yu5Jya_M" width="288" height="288" alt="Giles Laurent, Chimpanzee at Kibale Forest National Park, 14 December, 2022" title="Giles Laurent. Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 4.0 International License" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/rethinking-thought/202411/learning-by-touching" rel="bookmark">Learning by Touching </a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> A scientific study can show how chimpanzees navigate, but a well-written story can show how it feels to live like a chimp. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> A scientific study can show how chimpanzees navigate, but a well-written story can show how it feels to live like a chimp. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5027138"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/singletons/202411/the-power-of-family-traditions-count-the-ways"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/teddy-242851_1280.jpg?itok=TDA-o27i" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Gaby Stein/Pixabay" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/singletons/202411/the-power-of-family-traditions-count-the-ways" rel="bookmark">The Power of Family Traditions: Count the Ways</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Science shows traditions have a lasting impact鈥攁nd not just a sentimental one. Here's why and how to create鈥攐r continue鈥攆amily rituals. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Science shows traditions have a lasting impact鈥攁nd not just a sentimental one. Here's why and how to create鈥攐r continue鈥攆amily rituals. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5027168"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/what-is-a-human/202411/why-we-tell-stories"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/pexels-centre-for-ageing-better-55954677-17153148.jpg?itok=xyM8Dvz1" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Centre for Ageing Better/Pexels" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/what-is-a-human/202411/why-we-tell-stories" rel="bookmark">Why We Tell Stories </a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Storytelling is a universal human activity. We tell stories in order to communicate knowledge and fantasies, but also to resolve conflicts. The brain is apt at remembering stories. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Storytelling is a universal human activity. We tell stories in order to communicate knowledge and fantasies, but also to resolve conflicts. The brain is apt at remembering stories. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026621"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/the-elusive-brain/202411/twenty-first-century-grief"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/Asher%20image.jpg?itok=FSHeK1Hu" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Courtesy of Asher Young" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/the-elusive-brain/202411/twenty-first-century-grief" rel="bookmark">Twenty-First-Century Grief</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Asher stages an ephemeral reunion with those we've lost, whose three-dimensional image is surrounded and sometimes subsumed by darting light and color. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Asher stages an ephemeral reunion with those we've lost, whose three-dimensional image is surrounded and sometimes subsumed by darting light and color. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026847"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/how-writing-works/202411/does-the-generation-effect-in-advertising-still-work"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/pexels-satoshi-2070033.jpg?itok=8Rk6AGvy" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Satoshi Hiroyama/Pexels" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/how-writing-works/202411/does-the-generation-effect-in-advertising-still-work" rel="bookmark">Does the 'Generation Effect' in Advertising Still Work? </a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Marketeers use generation effects to bolster the memorability of ads. But what if its effects are laboratory illusions? And do generation effects work in multicultural societies? </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Marketeers use generation effects to bolster the memorability of ads. But what if its effects are laboratory illusions? And do generation effects work in multicultural societies? </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026833"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/life-gets-better/202411/avoiding-trauma-keeps-it-alive"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/many%20colors.jpg?itok=t8EXNtCy" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Wendy Lustbader" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/life-gets-better/202411/avoiding-trauma-keeps-it-alive" rel="bookmark">Avoiding Trauma Keeps It Alive</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Breaking out of isolation and talking about what happened with a trusted friend or therapist greatly reduces the burden of what is remembered. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Breaking out of isolation and talking about what happened with a trusted friend or therapist greatly reduces the burden of what is remembered. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026667"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/202411/why-decorating-early-for-christmas-may-make-you"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/shutterstock_2382272081.jpg?itok=-_aMq3yQ" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Bbernard / Shutterstock" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/202411/why-decorating-early-for-christmas-may-make-you" rel="bookmark">Why Decorating Early for Christmas May Make You Happier</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> You might feel social pressure to wait until Thanksgiving before you start decorating for Christmas. But decorating early can have some surprising benefits for your mental health. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> You might feel social pressure to wait until Thanksgiving before you start decorating for Christmas. But decorating early can have some surprising benefits for your mental health. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026629"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/time-travelling-with-apollo/202411/shaping-the-episodes-of-our-memory"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/Memories.jpg?itok=K9asAGGy" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Michal Jarmoluk / Pixabay" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/time-travelling-with-apollo/202411/shaping-the-episodes-of-our-memory" rel="bookmark">Shaping the "Episodes" of Our Memory</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Emotional ups and downs may account for the episodic nature of our memory. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Emotional ups and downs may account for the episodic nature of our memory. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026519"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/homeless-mind/202410/cognitive-immobility"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-10/edwin-andrade-5CpS8deLsDY-unsplash.jpg?itok=CMs8ygxP" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Photo by Edwin Andrade on Unsplash" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/homeless-mind/202410/cognitive-immobility" rel="bookmark">The Challenge of Cognitive Immobility</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> If you have relocated, you may have left something behind such as a relationship, a home, a feeling of safety, or sense of belonging. As a result, you may be mentally entrapped. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> If you have relocated, you may have left something behind such as a relationship, a home, a feeling of safety, or sense of belonging. 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