The term forgetting refers to the loss of information or knowledge that is already encoded and stored in an individual’s long-term memory. So, the word forgetting is called an inactive mental process in which humans are not capable of remembering the information and experiences that they have learned. Simply, the opposite of forgetting is remembering. In life, forgetting has both negative and positive effects. Negative effects mean forgetting the memory of important events or examinations that will cause the loss of opportunities and embarrassment. In contrast, positive in the sense that people lose painful memories that make their life painful and miserable, etc. In a nutshell, people want to forget painful and unpleasant memories and remember the knowledge and skills that bring happiness to their lives. This article discusses the reasons why people forget, what are its causes and how can we prevent forgetting.
Types of forgetting
There are different types of forgetting. Some are explained as follows.
1. Specific forgetting
According to some psychologists, forgetting can be classified into two categories. One is general and the second is specific. So specific forgetting is a type of mental disorder in which humans forget only one or the other some specific part of their previous learning.
2. General forgetting
General forgetting is the opposite of specific forgetting. It is a type of mental disorder in which an individual has lost his memory and is not able to recall any previously learned information and experience.
3. Physical forgetting
According to some views, physical memory means, the body itself, body cells, and brain can store information for a long period but on the contrary, physical forgetting means an individual’s brain is not able to store information. So in physical forgetting individual loses his memory because of different factors like the nervous system, age, brain injuries, diseases, and the use of other alcoholic materials.
4. Natural forgetting
To learn new things is a self-motivated process and forgetting is a natural part of it. So natural forgetting means to naturally forget some unspecific information in a quite normal way without any intention of forgetting on the part of an individual. It can be considered a natural form of neuroplasticity. However, this type of forgetting can occur due to interference, decay, or lack of appropriate cues.
5. Psychological forgetting
This type of forgetting occurs because of different factors like lack of sleep, temper provocation, repression, conflict, anxiety, stress, under active thyroid, psychic difficulties, and other emotional issues.
Causes of forgetting
Psychologists have given several explanations that become the cause of forgetting. Some of the reasons/causes of forgetting are;
1. Interference
According to psychologists, interference is the cause of forgetting. When some information causes difficulty in recalling of same information, it is called interference. In short, remembering similar memories is more challenging and even forgotten totally. Interference has two types. The
- Proactive interference
- Retroactive interference.
i. Proactive interference
It happens when an individual is not capable of retaining fresh material due to a disruption in retrieving new information.
ii. Retroactive interference
On the other hand, retroactive interference occurs when new information stops the retrieval of old memories. In simple words, the concept of interference states that the process of forgetting happens due to the interference and disruption of one another. An example of interference is when two small stones are dropped into a pond, waves spread out from each stone, and interference occurs when they overlap.
2. Duration of time
Trace decay theory states chemical and bodily modifications in the brain result in memory trace. The newly collected information lasts in the brain for a few seconds If there is no rehearsal of it. A theory called trace theory suggests that the time duration of the retaining information and the process of remembering will decide the recalling or forgetting of information. In case of short duration, information memorized will be recalled while in case of passing of long time data will be forgotten.
3. Absence of cues
Sometimes data exists in memory, but it cannot be retrieved if there are no cues for its retrieval. The cues are fundamentals that were present at the time that the actual memory was encoded. For instance, Â
4. Brain damage
Brain damage is another cause of forgetting. People who are facing brain injuries are not able to store memories for a long period. In simple words, any type of brain injury can affect memory loss. Injury to brain structure can cause amnesia that forms the limbic system which controls memories and emotions. Similarly, dementia is a signal of memory loss and it affects judgments and thinking. Alzheimer’s is a common type of dementia that is related to memory loss.
How to prevent/stop forgetting
Many tips and exercises may help to reduce forgetting. These are:
1. Sleeping well
For physical and mental health, it is essential to sleep well. The need for sleep for proper body function varies vary person to person. It is a common recommendation for adults to sleep seven to nine hours per night.
2. Rehearse the information
The best way to remember the information and reduce the chances of forgetting is to rehearse the information. For this purpose, to repeat the old information.
3. Write important information
When all other practices are failed, write down important information so that can be discussed later on. The act of writing it down may help to remember it more later.
4. Taking regular exercises
According to some researchers, regular exercise can improve the body and memory function. Some light exercises like jogging, running, and taking long breaths can enhance memory functions.
Last verdict
The loss of information or knowledge that is already encoded and stored in an individual’s long-term memory is called forgetting. It has many types such as physical, psychological, general, specific, natural, and physical forgetting. Then there are various causes associated with the process of forgetting. Lastly, to avoid forgetting, individuals are required to get good sleep, go for regular exercise, and take notes when want to remember something.
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