Forgetting and Hope
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Forgetting, as defined by the Webster dictionary, means to be unable or fail to remember. There are many theories as to why people forget. Some of which include encoding failure, decay theory, interference, consolidation failure, motivated forgetting, and prospective forgetting.
Encoding failure happens when the information was not stored in long-term memory in the first place. If information did not transfer from short-term memory to long-term memory, most likely the information will not be retained.
Probably the oldest theory of forgetting, decay theory, assumes that memories, if not used, fade with time and ultimately disappears entirely. The “neural trace” or physiological record of an experience may decay within a very short period or over a much longer period. (Boyd, D., Wood, Ellen Green, & Wood, Samuel E. (2004). Mastering the World of Psychology, Pearson Education, Inc.)
Another cause of forgetting is interference. There are two types of interference forgetting. The first, proactive interference happens when information already stored in long-term memory makes the tasks of remembering newer information difficult. For example, you may already know a particular version of software and an upgraded version may not have the some “short cut” keys that have been stored in long-term memory. The second type of interference forgetting is retroactive interference. Retroactive interference occurs when new learning interferes with the ability to retain previously learned information. The more similarities there are to the new learning’s, the more interference there may be
When memories are being encoded into stores memory, a process called consolidation is occurring. If a tragic incident, such as a car accident leading to the loss of consciousness during the time of the consolidation process happens, the memory may not make it to long-term memory. Therefore, there many be loss of memory or events taking place before the accident, referred to as consolidation failure.
Occasionally events happen in our life that we may choose to forget because the even was painful or unpleasant. Forgetting that these events took place is called motivated forgetting. There are two types of motivated forgetting. Sometimes a person is still aware that an event happened even after making an effort to put it out of their mind, referred to as suppression. Other times, during repression, a person is able to remove the memory from consciousness and are not longer aware the event occurred.
Lastly, prospective forgetting happens when people forget to so something that may seem unpleasant, like going to the dentist.
In my personal life I can relate to many of these theories of forgetting.
Several times in class I find myself not encoding the information. I sometimes shift my focus to something going on at work while listening to the lecture. I am hearing the information, but not really relating it to anything or repeating the information to myself. Therefore, it is very similar to the “in one ear and out the other” saying. The information never transfers from my short-term memory to my long-term memory.
Recently, we purchased a new mapping program at work. We were already using a mapping program that has similar capabilities, but the functionality is notably different. Occasionally, I have a need to go back and use the old mapping program to make changes