Hello. I've been reading about Ebbingaus' forgetting curve, theories on memory, and I've probably read a few chapters on long term memory from the library, but I can't find an answer to this question that's been depressing me for the last week, and I was hoping someone here might be able to enlighten me.
Suppose a person goes to university and gets a Ph.D in a particular field. Lets say they become experts in one area of study, example intelligence testing, or they get a Ph.D in math and become an expert in topology or something. Assume they study it for years and would be considered an absolute world class expert on this subject.
Okay...now hypothetically, lets say there's some situation where this person is forced not to think about this information in their expert field for 50, 100, or 1000+ years (I know that sound crazy lol, but just to make a point).
Would ANY of the information that this person once knew be intact, or would it all diminish if not thought about over time...
In short, my question is: Is it possible for someone to ever truly memorize something Permanently, so the information is permanent stored in their memories, regardless of the amount of time that passes by? or does it have to be continuously reenforced over time, regardless of how many years the person spent learning the material....
2007-04-06 15:43:32 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Social Science ➔ Psychology
It depends on the memories. Emotional memories tend to be with you forever. I've tried really hard to forget certain things, and it is impossible. About the only thing to do in that case is create competing information about what happened, if you can make yourself believe it.
2007-04-06 15:57:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have three answers to this, just up to you to decide what to believe.
1- You can and will remember anything for as long as you wish. If it is something significant that has impacted you in some way, you will definetly remember it. If its some minor detail that you're told you should remember, but you really don't see the need or want to, chances are, you'll forget it later.
2- Deja-vus! (Already seen) A circumstance in your life where it almost seems like you've done something or seen something you're currently experiencing, even if you know you haven't before. That to me says your mind has been in the future and is remembering that moment again as you go through it in the present. Either that or maybe a very similar experience that you had in a past life.
3- We all know everything already and are perfect in every way. However, when we are born onto this earth, we forget where we have come from and have faults. This way we are able to learn from them and experience nonperfection, so that we may then appreciate and understand the absolute perfection that we are. Kinda like how do you know good without knowing bad? How do you know cold without knowing hot? You need a means of coparison to understand something properly. ~ This idea is from the book "Conversations with God" by Neal Donnald Walsh (I think thats his name) a very interesting read, and despite the title, I wouldn't really say its all that religious. Definitly recomment it though.
2007-04-07 00:02:23 · answer #2 · answered by Miss Dude 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a difference between memories and memorized facts. There's a very large difference between memories and training.
I used to be in the military. I was very good and climbed the ranks quicker than many. It's been a long long time. I could enlist today and be far better than those who have taken my place.
My soon to be wife works with children. She's a natural at it. She could work in a factory for 50 years and get back into it overnight without a wrinkle in the sheets.
2007-04-06 22:49:04 · answer #3 · answered by no name brand canned beans 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hi,
My experience with learning is pretty limited. I have not studied any one subject extensively. But the stuff I have learned comes back in small glimpses. So, some memory is forever. What they say about riding a bicycle (you never forget) as long as your balance is intact you can always ride a bicycle.
2007-04-06 22:55:57 · answer #4 · answered by apup76 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Number 1. You can't forget your memories. Hopefully you've rejected the bad and remembered the good. You have to learn something from life experiences good or bad. It doesn't matter if you learned it in the University Of Life or learned in the local community college of Got your Hard Knocks.
2007-04-06 22:58:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it needs to be reinforced - I grew up in Germany, had French for a total of 10 yrs in school/college, spoke, read and wrote it pretty fluently, came to the States, did not use French for 10 years, started to work for a French company, and could NOT speak anymore...it took me a long time to become fluent again...(when I first started, I could still read it perfectly but had forgotten a lot of the vocabulary, had a hard time writing it correctly...)...
2007-04-06 22:52:36 · answer #6 · answered by avechm 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Alzheimers disease will erase your memory like a magnetic field erases a flash drive!
2007-04-06 22:50:56 · answer #7 · answered by snafu1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unless you develop senility or Alzheimer's, then yes, it is possible for memories to stay with you forever.
2007-04-07 08:37:21 · answer #8 · answered by Cherish 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋