Consciousness and Memory

When discussing consciousness, we are quick to discount the importance of memory, yet this is one of the most influential factors that contribute to our consciousness. Memory is often connected to perception. We think of memory of an event as a confirmation of the event happening, because we don’t question the existence of something we have a memory of. At the same time, when we don’t remember something, or remember it in a way that did not happen, we consider this to be a failure.

Key Takeaways:

• Memory distortion isn’t a malfunction, it is in fact a beneficial way for us to make sense of the past.
• A narrative, which is different from a report, depends on the significance of certain memories.
• Perceptual cues can trigger memories without conscious guidance, but these memories can then produce changes in conscious experience.

“First, scientific evidence shows that this analogy cannot be the whole story.”

Read more: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-consciousness/201511/consciousness-and-memory

References:

• Psychology Today (Website)
• CrashCourse (YouTube Channel)