The brain has a tremendous capacity to accumulate an array of details throughout your life, but the memory portion of the brain can play tricks on you if it’s overloaded with information.
Here are 5 pitfalls and some suggestions to help when your memory system falters.
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1. False memories occur when people are influenced by suggestions or misinformation from others. This occurs because of a gap in memory, so the memory part of the brain fills in the gaps with false memories. You may have had this happen when you realized a childhood memory you had was incorrect.
2. Have you ever had a tune keep playing in your head, even though you didn’t want to hear it? It’s called earworm and it happens when the brain’s memory gets stuck. You might only know part of the song and it starts off in your mind, but your brain doesn’t know the rest of the tune. So it goes back to the beginning and keeps playing the same part it knows through memory.
3. Memory plays tricks in favor of your views. Cognitive biases come in many forms, relating to the way people want to remember information or events. Confirmation bias occurs when people try to confirm information about subject matter they want to believe, ignoring other pieces of information. They put a greater emphasis on their point of view. Hindsight bias allows people to say they predicted something because they “knew” it happened.
Research has shown that these people will say they knew the outcome of an event after it occurred when they actually believed a different outcome would occur earlier.
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4. The GPS effect is a modern phenomenon because of the device many people depend on for directions. People who use a GPS too often to find places could be losing their own sense of direction.
Research suggests that people who don’t rely on their brains to maintain spatial abilities could become vulnerable to early-onset dementia, according to Listverse. Researchers recommend using a GPS only when it’s necessary and navigating to familiar places on your own to reinforce memory.
5. Change blindness occurs when your brain has too much visual information to deal with at one time. You might not notice changes right in front of you even as they happen. Because you were busy concentrating on one thing, you won’t see or remember something major that occurred. It’s not because it was out of view, but because your brain tuned it out.
This article is for information only and is not intended as medical advice. Talk with your doctor about your specific health and medical needs.
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