Neuroscience
Today's Science Times in the New York Times has a piece about the phenomenon of déjà vu:
Déjà Vu: If It All Seems Familiar, There May Be a Reason
By BENEDICT CAREY
Excerpt:
...But the point, psychologists who study memory say, is that people take in a rich banquet of information without noticing it, or noticing and simply forgetting where it came from. It is entirely possible to read an Anne Rice novel and years later, after having forgotten the book, find that a first visit to New Orleans seems like a glimpse into a former life. Or to see one of the bar scenes from the movie "L.A. Confidential" and later walk into the Formosa Cafe for the first time and catch your breath.
The familiarity can come from a variety of sources, some real and some not, said Dr. Kathleen McDermott, a colleague of Dr. Jacoby's at Washington University who studies memory.
"It's well known that even if you imagine something now that may not have happened in the past, it can create a feeling of familiarity if it does happen later on," she said, adding, "You don't need objective outside information to create these situations; you can do so internally, on your own." ...
[ ... Read the full article ...] (free registration required)
- Extras
Eye-catching studies that didn't make the final cut: This sounds familiar: a memory-based account of deja vu (pdf). The kind of streets older people like to walk down. Examining why we remember so much more from adolescence and early adulthood than...
- Patient Hm Continues To Impress!
A fine little piece in the New York Times about Patient H.M. and his performance on crossword puzzles. No Memory, but He Filled In the Blanks By BENEDICT CAREY Published: December 6, 2010 "A man who had brain tissue removed in 1953 stunned researchers...
- The Fine Points Of Forgetfulness
From today's New York Times: Forgetting May Be Part of the Process of Remembering By BENEDICT CAREY June 5, 2007 Whether drawing a mental blank on a new A.T.M. password, a favorite recipe or an old boyfriend, people have ample opportunity every day...
- Olfaction, Memory, And Sleep
From today's New York Times: Scent Activates Memory During Sleep, Study Says By BENEDICT CAREY The New York Times Published: March 8, 2007 Scientists studying how sleep affects memory have found that the whiff of a familiar scent can help a slumbering...
- Amnestic Syndromes: The Play's The Thing ...
From today's New York Times: January 23, 2007 Amnesiacs May Be Cut Off From Past and Future Alike By BENEDICT CAREY The New York Times In the movies amnesia is bizarre, and thrilling. The star is usually a former assassin or government agent whose...
Neuroscience
Déjà Vu, All Over Again
Today's Science Times in the New York Times has a piece about the phenomenon of déjà vu:
Déjà Vu: If It All Seems Familiar, There May Be a Reason
By BENEDICT CAREY
Excerpt:
...But the point, psychologists who study memory say, is that people take in a rich banquet of information without noticing it, or noticing and simply forgetting where it came from. It is entirely possible to read an Anne Rice novel and years later, after having forgotten the book, find that a first visit to New Orleans seems like a glimpse into a former life. Or to see one of the bar scenes from the movie "L.A. Confidential" and later walk into the Formosa Cafe for the first time and catch your breath.
The familiarity can come from a variety of sources, some real and some not, said Dr. Kathleen McDermott, a colleague of Dr. Jacoby's at Washington University who studies memory.
"It's well known that even if you imagine something now that may not have happened in the past, it can create a feeling of familiarity if it does happen later on," she said, adding, "You don't need objective outside information to create these situations; you can do so internally, on your own." ...
[ ... Read the full article ...] (free registration required)
- Extras
Eye-catching studies that didn't make the final cut: This sounds familiar: a memory-based account of deja vu (pdf). The kind of streets older people like to walk down. Examining why we remember so much more from adolescence and early adulthood than...
- Patient Hm Continues To Impress!
A fine little piece in the New York Times about Patient H.M. and his performance on crossword puzzles. No Memory, but He Filled In the Blanks By BENEDICT CAREY Published: December 6, 2010 "A man who had brain tissue removed in 1953 stunned researchers...
- The Fine Points Of Forgetfulness
From today's New York Times: Forgetting May Be Part of the Process of Remembering By BENEDICT CAREY June 5, 2007 Whether drawing a mental blank on a new A.T.M. password, a favorite recipe or an old boyfriend, people have ample opportunity every day...
- Olfaction, Memory, And Sleep
From today's New York Times: Scent Activates Memory During Sleep, Study Says By BENEDICT CAREY The New York Times Published: March 8, 2007 Scientists studying how sleep affects memory have found that the whiff of a familiar scent can help a slumbering...
- Amnestic Syndromes: The Play's The Thing ...
From today's New York Times: January 23, 2007 Amnesiacs May Be Cut Off From Past and Future Alike By BENEDICT CAREY The New York Times In the movies amnesia is bizarre, and thrilling. The star is usually a former assassin or government agent whose...