Have you ever been in an intriguing conversation but suddenly ‘lose your hearing’ as they say something. So, you awkwardly laugh and say ‘yes’ or nod your head like you heard them, the itching feeling of what they said nagging you at the back of your brain. When moments later, you suddenly remember what they’ve said, replying appropriately to them. But only to leave them looking confused to say, ‘you only just answered the question I asked you 5 minutes ago, now?’
While this may seem specific, we have all most definitely been through this experience and its repetitive occurrence makes it all the more irritating when it happens during several conversations.
So, let’s find out how and why this happens to us.
The brain has three types of memory processes: sensory register, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
In the sensory register process, the brain obtains information from the environment. This activity is short, lasting at most, a few seconds. During sensory register, the brain gathers information passively through visual and auditory cues, known respectively as “iconic” and “echoic” memory.
For example, when you look at a computer screen and then look away, but can still see the screen’s image, this is iconic memory occurring. Similarly, when you have conversations with others and ask them to repeat themselves, only to understand what they said a moment later, it demonstrates echoic memory.
In the memory-making process, attention is considered a step between sensory register and short-term memory. Short-term memory formation can begin through giving your attention to the information received through sensory register. According to Brian Becker (an associate professor of neuropsychology at Lesley University), short-term memory occurs in two parts: traditionally termed “short-term memory” and “working memory.” Short-term memory is when the brain stores information temporarily so that it can be repeated, such as remembering a phone number you see on TV. Working memory refers to the brain storing information for the purpose of manipulating it, such as remembering a set of numbers while working on a math problem – so working memory is more controllable as you can actively improve it.
I and I’m sure many others, have always viewed long-term memory as a permanent “bank of knowledge” or “storage zone” within the brain so once a memory arrived there, the mind stored it completely and indefinitely.
However, this is not the case.
Although the long-term memory process allows information to remain in the brain for an extended period, nothing in the brain avoids risk. Information stored in long-term memory can stay in the brain for a short while (a day, a week) or last as long as a lifetime.
When long-term memories form, the hippocampus retrieves information from the working memory and begins to change the brain’s physical neural wiring. These new connections between neurons and synapses stay as long as they remain in use. Which is why if you continue doing flashcards every day or learning your phone number through repetition of many days, you remember it much better and begin to form your long-term memory storage.
Forgetting can manifest as inattention or can happen because the brain does not reinforce a memory long enough to store it. Research suggests two main theories as to why memories are forgotten:
- Decaying theory infers that if a certain memory isn’t repeated, it will eventually deteriorate.
- Interference theory infers that new information received by the brain replaces old information (such as the inability to remember an old password after you have created a new one).
Although memory remains susceptible to all sorts of problems, the brain’s elasticity is unique and remarkable. Memory is just as capable of improving as decaying.
So, there you go. A brief scientific delve into the reasons behind some of the most irritating moments during our everyday life. Takeaways are to actively repeat something that you really need to remember, in your head several times before you need to say it or even out loud (depends on the situation of course). Secondly, just ask if you didn’t hear what the person said – trust me it saves a lot of hassle and time plus it avoids the awkward silence.
See you next week for a new question and a new answer.
