Stronger memories can help us make sense of future changes
Jeffrey Zacks’s latest research turns on its head some popular beliefs about memory, showing that a failed prediction isn’t simply a failure, but also a cue which can help people update their understanding — as long as they realize their prediction was wrong.
Aging memories may not be ‘worse,’ just ‘different’
A study from the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences in Arts & Sciences adds nuance to the idea that an aging memory is a poor one and finds a potential correlation between the way people process the boundaries of events and episodic memory.
Trump’s legacy still uncertain, suggest experts on nation’s collective memory
While Trump’s legacy may indeed hinge on his ability to overcome partisan differences, ongoing research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests that most U.S. presidents are destined to fade quickly from the nation’s collective memory.
Quick learners remember more over time
Healthy adults who learn information more quickly than their peers also have better long-term retention for the material despite spending less time studying it, finds a new study from psychologists at Washington University in St. Louis finds.
Unless we spot changes, most life experiences are fabricated from memories
We may not be able to change recent events in our lives, but how well we remember them plays a key role in how our brains model what’s happening in the present and predict what’s likely to occur in the future, finds new research in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Misinformation may improve event recall, study finds
Research on eyewitness testimony has shown that false details put forth during an interrogation can lead some people to develop vivid memories of events that never happened. While this “false memory” phenomenon is alive and well, new research suggests that a bit of misinformation also has potential to improve our memories of past events — at least under certain circumstances.
Memory test: Which president is this?
Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, Hubert Humphrey and some guy named “Thomas Moore” are among the names that many Americans mistakenly identify as belonging to a past president of the United States, finds a news study by memory researchers at Washington University in St. Louis.
Washington University ‘Memory Hackers’ featured on PBS/NOVA
An upcoming broadcast of NOVA called “Memory Hackers,” airs Wednesday, Feb. 10, and will explore the cutting edge frontiers of human memory. Washington University in St. Louis scientists are featured in the show.
Newly discovered brain network recognizes what’s new, what’s familiar
New research from Washington University in St. Louis has identified a novel learning and memory brain network that processes incoming information based on whether it’s something we’ve experienced previously or is deemed to be altogether new and unknown, helping us recognize, for instance, whether the face before us is that of a familiar friend or a complete stranger.
Pre-lecture diagrams help students take better notes, learn more
Lecture-based learning can be challenging for students who have difficulties building mental models for the organization of new information, but providing them with diagrams and other supporting material in advance of the lecture can help them overcome these hurdles, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis.
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