I couldn't find a "psychology" section so I figured posting here is the next best place. So, how? Physical sensations? What I'm more curious about though is what do you "see" in your mind? Is the color scheme normal? Is it in focus or out of focus? Would you compare it more to your current, right now experience of eyesight or more to a strange camera? Do you see an animated scene, or snapshots? I've never really talked to anyone about how they experience it and I'm interested to know.
First if alll very nice thread And what kind of things make you have memories and what do YOU SEE... Me, it really depends. There are smells, images, feelings, quotes, songs, actions, people, places things.... that bring me memories and thoughts of people... and things that have happened... I guess its like i guess sometimes when i have memories i actually see the memory in my mind as i remember it.. Like when i remember occasions and things that have happened.. Or things that me and my friends and family have experienced together i see them or imagine them might be better put... other times memories are just thoughts or if i just remember a person in particular i see the person's face in my head as i remember it.. Sometimes i think i experience memories in my dreams. Or things from the past that i have never been able to let go. Sunday will be my grandpas "deathday" its been 3 years since he has died but i still see him in my dreams sometimes they are good and sometimes they haunt me it seems like. By haunt me i have night mares of him dying and stuff and i wake up in cold sweats crying but its like sometimes its like see memories in my dreams.. and like maybe restaurants or pictures that may remind me of some people or things that may have happened. Like some music may remind me of certain people... Taco bell reminds me of my x.... cat pictures reminds me of a certain person on this forum. i see those as memories as well Alll of my memories are connected with some kind of emotion... Thats how they come about ... weather the emotion is good or bad.
One of the psychology courses I took had a lengthy chapter dedicated to memory. There was tons of interesting material in the course unfortunately I forgot most of it. I remember discussing a lot of the physical neurological processes to memory are still somewhat unknown, like I think there are areas of the brain that have been shown to be involved with memory but how they go about storing information is less certain. From what I gather from my own experience and education is that generally speaking memory is comprised of numerous different types of recollections rather than one that is comprehensive. For instance, procedural memory to remember a series of data or something works differently than a smell that might trigger a past experience using sensory memory. So while I don't think I could really dissect how the numerous types of memory work for me I will mainly discuss my experience of sensory memory. I often find that when I hear a particular song, smell or taste I often can sort of reflect back on a previous experience that was either the same or similar. I don't really get detailed visual images in my head with memories but often I experience strong emotions that I felt in the moment. Occasionally I get sort of a snapshot mental image but its largely physical/emotion sensations for me.
I'd say it is like replaying in my mind part of what already happened. Obviously I don't see it like a monitor in front of me right now, but it is more of a thought or series of thoughts visualised in my mind. It might actually apply not only to 'visual' things, but also replaying sounds or resmelling(?) smell. To be honest, I can't really think about any smell right now. I obviously remember them and I could recognise them easily, but I can't bring smell back in my thoughts. I'm not sure how I remember names or numbers, though. I can just visualise them, so maybe I remember the image of them.
I like this thread. I just got back from a trip back home and then to a big event birthday - my mom just turned 90 and the family got together for a great party. First I flew home and spent a couple days with my closest friends from my youth. Although we are always in touch thru phone and internet, going back just rushes me with strong memories of these days. Of course we verbally recall events but one friend wears the perfume Opium - it's her trademark smell. That Smell just makes my mind burst with memories of our young woman high jinx and the beginning days of my romance with my husband. Then of course, we visit the old haunts. It's very emotional - I don't get back home very often at all. I miss it - OH, I"m sort of getting emotion over load...... Anyway then I drove my mom up to Carolina del Norte where the party was. Oh my dog, it is memory over drive AGAIN. Family members, esp bro and sis....and all the things we did as kids and vacations and our parent's business and grandparents's businesses.....and the FOOD....my sister and sister-in-law still make the same dishes that my mom did....and my Aunt and Uncle brought special food that was from my childhood......well, it was a very nice memory overload.....How if I experience it? Well, total immersion I guess I'd say......smells, music, foods with theirs smells and flavors.....talking about things past. I'll never forget it - until Alzheimer's set in.....
I agree with weeattoes. Memories come in any way, shape and form. This is a really interesting thread. For me different memories different triggers. When I first read this thread I was thinking mostly how certain songs trigger specific visual memories. I may have heard the song a thousand times but I always go back to a specific time hearing the song. There is a song Vincent by Don McLean that every time I hear it, I think back to a certain time when I was in a kitchen making bread and hearing that song on the radio. I can actually see the kitchen. In the early 70's we had a VW bug with an 8 track player and one of the few tapes we had was Rod Stewart. I only have to think of one of the songs on that tape and I can see myself driving up a hill to a house out in the country where my friend lived. Many childhood memories are visual. I can see what people were wearing, where we were and what was going on as if I was seeing a film of the experience. I can't say that all of my memories are necessarily visual but many are for sure. Thanks for starting this thread. It is always nice to jog some memories.
The song SMOOTH by Carlos Santana always transports me back to days of camping on the beach in our VW Camper. There were 3 of us and some guys came up on their ATV and we danced and imbibed it was like meeting up with people you knew all you life - but we'd just met. I can still "see" us swimming in the waves and making some tacos and OH WELL, it was great times..... Music can be the great transported to past memories for sure!!!
Loved reading the replies, thanks people My visual memory is never animated, always in frames, and sometimes like I'm looking through a smeared lens... and, sometimes, it's almost like I captured the image like a camera while moving my head quickly to the side. Not sure why. Visual memory is primary for me. I have to think carefully to remember smells or sounds.
I haven't been trying to improve my memory, just observe and describe it. What methods were you referring to though, out of curiosity?
