#Brings back old memories synonym movie#

One explanation is that such mind-pops are completely random.Īnother, more interesting explanation is that these cues are unconscious. When I tried to look for cues in my context that may have triggered my mind-pops, why did I fail? The key point I’m trying to make is that the suddenness of memory recall is often associated with the suddenness of context change.Įven a simple context change, like going out for a walk, can trigger the recall of a stream of memories you didn’t have access to in your room. Had you visited these areas frequently throughout your life, you probably wouldn’t have experienced the same level of suddenness in recalling associated memories. This sudden change of context brings back old childhood memories. When you return to the city and the streets you grew up in, suddenly, you’re placed in your childhood context. We rarely get vivid memories of our childhood in our present context. We went to school, changed cities, started work, etc.Īs a result, our current context is far removed from our childhood context. As we grew up, our context kept on changing. We encoded our childhood memories in one context. Understanding the importance of context in memory recall helps us understand why there’s often a feeling of suddenness involved in recalling old memories. Cramming all the study materials in one go provides minimal context for recall compared to spaced learning. And why spaced learning over a period of time is better than cramming. This is why it’s better to rehearse for performances on the same stage where the actual performance will take place. Greater the similarity between the context of recall and the context of encoding, the easier it is to recall a memory. It’s long been known that the context in which you encode a memory plays a huge role in its recall. Context and suddenly remembering old memories Often, I try to search for cues in my context that may have triggered them but with no success. I do experience mind-pops from time to time. What you were reading or thinking at the time had no connection whatsoever to your school. 1įor example, you’re reading a book, and suddenly the image of your school corridor pops into your mind for no reason. They’re often experienced by people when they’re engaged in mundane tasks like mopping the floor or brushing teeth. Mind-pops may comprise any piece of information, be it an image, a sound, or a word.

Thus, mind-pops are semantic or autobiographical memories that suddenly flash in our minds without an easily identifiable trigger. Mind-pops shouldn’t be confused with insight, which is the sudden popping up of a potential solution to a complex problem in the mind.

They seem to pop into our minds out of nowhere therefore, they’ve been called mind-pops. These memories had obvious triggers in our context, but sometimes, the memories that flash in our minds have no identifiable triggers.

#Brings back old memories synonym movie#

When someone utters the word “Oscar”, the name of the movie that won the Oscar recently flashes in your mind (semantic). For example, you’re eating a dish at a restaurant, and its smell reminds you of a similar dish your mom used to make (autobiographical).