Monday, April 16, 2012

How Memories Shape Experiance

As we grow we gain new memories all the time, even if we are not consciously aware of the memory. Alison Preston, a professor of neurobiology, believe that our minds are constantly collecting memories and organizing them in our unconsciousness. What this allows us to do is gain greater understanding in matters around us through direct observation. We see something, then our mind categorizes that information. This information is called upon on a later date automatically to allow us to make inferences and connections between separate and possibly seemingly unrelated things. This is what we would refer to as experience, memories build and give us a larger base on which to make assumptions. We make these assumptions every day all day without realizing we are doing it. Its our minds ability to do this that allows us to make relationships between objects. For example if you saw a glass, and then later saw a glass that looked just like it but somewhere else. You wouldn't assume that it is the same glass. Your mind would make the connection that the glasses are probably of the same manufacture, or that the owners of the glasses bought them from the same location. It is this ability that keeps us from becoming lost and confused in our daily lives.



Link to site

http://www.dailytexanonline.com/life-and-arts/2012/03/26/ut-professor-says-memories-aid-understanding-experiences


-Daunish Irani

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