Intend to remember: why everyday forgetting starts with attention
Memory scientist Charan Ranganath, brain coach Jim Kwik and Huberman's memory episodes treat forgotten names, lost keys and fuzzy details as a problem of how information was taken in, and offer deliberate techniques such as intention, mental snapshots and memory cues. Seeing forgetting this way turns a worry about a failing brain into a skill that can be practiced.
According to Jim Kwik, why do most people forget names? Show answer
They never really hear them, because they are looking around or waiting for their turn to speak.
What does Kwik's MOM method for remembering names stand for? Show answer
Motivation, observation and methods: know why you want the name, actually listen, then use techniques to lock it in.
What are Kwik's three stages of memory, and where is the problem with lost keys set up? Show answer
Encode, store and retrieve; the failure shows up at retrieval but is set up by weak encoding when you put the keys down.
What does Charan Ranganath say brains are designed to do with most experiences? Show answer
Forget them, keeping what is important, so the goal is to remember better, not more.
How does Ranganath distinguish attention from intention? Show answer
Attention can be grabbed by anything loud or shiny, while intention is attention directed by an internal goal, the job of the prefrontal cortex.
Why do people forget why they walked into the kitchen, according to Ranganath? Show answer
The brain encodes episodes at event boundaries such as moving from one room to another, which splits the moment.
What does Ranganath say is the main memory difficulty for older adults? Show answer
Controlling attention rather than storing information: they remember what they were told to ignore as well as young adults do.
Why does Ranganath say people with ADHD often have poor memory? Show answer
Because of attention, not a traditional memory problem; they often remember things that interest them very well.
What did the photo study Huberman describes find about mental snapshots? Show answer
Deciding to take a mental snapshot improved visual memory almost as much as a real camera, but reduced memory for sounds.
When does Huberman say a spike of adrenaline best helps you remember what you learned? Show answer
Late in the learning session or about 5 to 15 minutes after, after learning in a calm but focused state.
What happened to sleep in the Wendy Suzuki meditation study Huberman describes? Show answer
Sleep quality got worse, likely because most people meditated late in the evening; he plans to meditate early in the day instead.
Which health problems does Ranganath say can genuinely impair memory? Show answer
Tiny vascular events linked to hypertension and diabetes, and depression, which he calls terrible for memory.