Memory
Memory is the ability to encode, store and retrieve information and experiences.
Definition
Memory includes many processes: information coding, consolidation, storage and retrieval. It doesn't work like a perfect recording of the past; memories can be reconstructed, distorted and updated by emotions, context and subsequent experiences. In practice, memory is the basis for learning, identity, decisions and predicting the future.
Key ideas
- Encoding, storage and retrieval
- The reconstructive nature of memories
- The relationship between memory, learning and identity
Practice and life
After an important experience, write down three things: what happened, what I understood, and what one lesson I want to keep for the future.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to treat memory as an objective recording. The second mistake is learning only by repeated reading without active recall and checking for understanding.
> Memory is not a storehouse of things, but a living process of reproducing meanings.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- What do I want to remember: fact, meaning or procedure?
- In what context will I need this information?
- How can I check if I really remember it?