Memory is an integral part of the life of the majority of living species, including humans. In many ways, the extent of its functionality defines individual capabilities, personality, and behavior. Chapter 7 provides a sophisticated overview of what constitutes memory and shares numerous insights into the way it works. Apart from it being generally entertaining and engaging, I found the revelations regarding false memories, different amnesia types, and serial position curves particularly informative.
Probably the most unsettling discovery for me was that it is possible to fabricate false memories on purpose. As was mentioned in the chapter, half of the people who were shown fake images of traveling on hot-air balloon actually generated false memories about it. Previously, I only thought of falsifying memories as a sci-fi concept in the cyberpunk genre where the human brain can be connected to other devices and is treated as a hardware memory.
However, it proved to be possible even without that, which I found rather disturbing. In terms of different types of amnesia, their existence genuinely surprised me. Popular media generally show only the retrograde version of it, when a person forgets the past and starts a “new” life. This is why finding out about anterograde amnesia was a surprise for me. Finally, the serial position curve that explains what and why people tend to memorize better can actually be of practical use for me. From this point onward, I will organize my learning sessions in a way that puts the most important information either at the beginning or at the end of them.
Overall, the chapter about memory managed to frighten, surprise, and educate me at the same time. It drew my attention to a matter that I did not usually consider in my daily life, prompting me to elaborate on it and make conclusions. As a result, I will become more critical of my long-term memories and approach my learning process differently. Moreover, I feel excited about continuing this course, as it continues to provide me with new interesting facts and ideas.