Why is the earliest childhood memory usually a negative one?

Question

From my previous question (what is your earliest childhood memory?), I've noticed that most of them are associated with fright or something else negative.

Why is that?

Answer 1

Memories are tied very closely with emotion in the brain. I think generally, for small children, a negative or traumatic event would have more impact emotionally than a happy event, as happy events probably comprise most of a young child's experience (being held, playing, etc). A negative or traumatic experience would be remembered first for this reason.

Answer 2

My earliest childhood memory? I have a few memories of childhood. I think old photos help me remember. Without photos I would be lost. My memory kicks in at about age 12-13. So, take pictures and print them out! Make photo albums! I am worried that the today everything is done on computer....take time to leave memories for your kids! Print out your family photos!

Answer 3

I think that for MOST a traumatic memory stick better for some reason -maybe kids for the most part of generally happy and the unhappy stuff tends to stand out more
for the record, my earliest memory is a bit traumatic.

Answer 4

Maybe they remember the negative because it was a lesson learned that they needed through life. Or thought so. I didn't see your previous post but my first memories are sweet. I remember waking up as early as I could in the morning with my big sis, sitting at a table I could barely see over while she made me a bowl of cereal,she's two years older than me, and then turning on the t.v. being really quiet not to wake up mom, and giggling and laughing about our cartoons in our undies. Lesson learned? My sister is my heart, caretaker, protector, and best pal for life.

Answer 5

in reality, humans do not intentionally remember the negative, the bitter or the painful moments in their lives. unfortunately, the negative things, most of the time, have stronger impact than the positive ones. This is mainly because we do not experience negative things on a daily basis. Also, since we are but still children, big bad memories appear to be bigger than they are because we are still struggling to learn to endure and understand the significance of pain or suffering.

Answer 6

That's a shame...I guess the fear of the unknown is real scary to a child....and there are a lot of unknowns for kids. My oldest memory is of my father singing. I barely remember it. I was later taken away from that home and adopted. I never had any bad memories. I also remember my first day of school...with happy ,memories.

Answer 7

Because memories are made by things and events that leave an impression. And those are usually negative ones.

Answer 8

Could very well be due to a negativity bias (as defined by social psychology)--people tend to remember the bad instead of the good.

Answer 9

Because fear is usually something that is made to teach us. Fear and pain teach us not to go near that thing again, and so it makes sense for our brains to remember that, because they don't want our body to get hurt. No matter how trivial it was when it was happening, all we know is "eeeeeeh scary!"

My earliest memory is of my aunt putting me in the tub with my socks still on. :D

Answer 10

It is our nature. Forget childhood, how about adulthood, we remember the one bad thing someone said to us above the 100 good things. Our minds are bent toward the negative because of our carnal nature and we have to renew our minds with God's word