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Questions tagged [memory]

The processes by which information is encoded, stored, and retrieved.

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Was the experiment with five monkeys, a ladder, a banana and a water spray conducted?

I've found the following picture online. It is about the moral/paradigm behind consistent behavior. Click to enlarge. The image text says A group of scientists placed 5 monkeys in a cage and in the middle, a ladder with bananas on the top. Every…
Tamara Wijsman
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Can flatworms learn a maze by digesting other flatworms?

I recently watched the film Phantoms. A scientist in the movie claimed that flatworms were able to "consume" memories from other flatworms. The specific example was that of learning the solution to a maze by digesting ground up flatworms that had…
MrHen
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On multiple choice tests, is your first answer usually correct?

Most of us have heard from one teacher or another that your first guess on a multiple choice questions is usually correct. The implication being that we shouldn't double guess our instincts when taking tests. However, I have often realized I got…
John Rhoades
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Does handwriting assist memory retention more effectively than typing?

I have both heard and experienced (perhaps as a placebo effect) that writing things out by hand allows the text to be better remembered than typing it. This particularly applies to taking notes during a lecture or seminar. I would hazard to guess…
Apophenia Overload
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Does "photographic memory" exist?

I've been told that because I can remember shapes and objects well, and describe them in detail, I have a "photographic memory". However, I looked it up (briefly), and it seems scientific consensus is that there is no such thing - everyone can…
Thomas O
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Can people forget how to ride a bike?

I doubt that people never forget to ride a bicycle. If my grandfather, who hasn't ridden a bicycle in over 30 years, were to hop on one and start riding, I would be immensely surprised. Are there any sources that either confirm or deny that…
Peter Olson
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Has anyone ever memorized the entire bible?

I remember hearing an old legend growing up that Noah Webster (author of the American Dictionary) memorized the entire bible. The claims seem dubious and difficult to prove. Has anyone ever memorized the entire bible and proven it somehow? Either by…
LCIII
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Do eye movements reveal "how" a person is thinking?

According to NLP adherents: The NLP Eye movements indicate how a person is thinking - whether they are imagining a future or past event, internally re-hearing a sound or making up a sound, talking to themselves, or attending to their feelings. For…
Larry OBrien
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Can a person forget their own name?

I've seen it many times in movies; people not only forget something that happened, but they forget who they are entirely- including their name. A much-used plot device, retrograde amnesia occurs when a person forgets part or all of his or her…
Ephraim
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In the case of memory loss due to a blunt force impact, can memory later be restored by means of another blunt force impact?

In the case of memory loss due to a blunt force impact, can memory later be restored by means of another blunt force impact? Seems fairly common on TV. I did find some anecdotal evidence of this: Blow on Head Restores Memory of Missing Man Bump on…
Morons
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Does a "desirable difficulty" in reading font affect memory retention?

Sans Forgetica is a font designed using the principles of cognitive psychology to help you to better remember your study notes. Sans Forgetica is more difficult to read than most typefaces – and that's by design. The 'desirable difficulty' you…
user11643
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Do elephants never forget?

There is a ubiquitous belief that "elephants never forget". I know we aren't suggesting that elephants have unlimited memory, but have there ever been any scientific studies/case studies that suggest that elephants have a profound ability to…
MSpeed
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Can jet lag give you permanent memory and learning problems?

A recent article on Cracked.com, 5 Things You Won't Believe Are Making You Dumber, claims "jet lag gives you permanent memory and learning problems" and cited several studies. But when you look at the cited study, it shows permanent mental deficits…
InquilineKea
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Can audio played during REM sleep improve recall?

I was reading about sleep-learning - for example of the type depicted in The Simpsons episode, Bart's Friend Falls in Love: Homer orders a subliminal cassette tape to help him lose weight, but is accidentally sent one that helps him increase his…
Mauricio Arias Olave
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Tying a finger to help memory recall

I was playing Zynga's Draw Something when I saw an interesting icon: A quick search of "tying fingers" produces results such as: Big Site of Amazing Facts This is a carry-over from olden days when people tied pieces of cloth around any painful…
Lie Ryan
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