Why your first memory is probably wrong | BBC Ideas

How does memory work? How is memory stored in the brain? What's your first memory? Our memories are integral to our sense of self - but can we actually trust them?
Made in partnership with the Open University by Mosaic Films.
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[@jamieleone2214]

First and foremost, the video tests our selective attention, which refers to processes that allow an individual to focus on a singular input while simultaneously suppressing any irrelevant or distracting information. For instance, we are presented with three red cups and instructed to only focus on the red cup holding the candy. Selective attention is measured as the participant is focusing on a singular input (a red cup containing candy) while suppressing the remaining distractors (the remaining two red cups). In addition to selective attention, the video also demonstrates inattentional blindness and change blindness. During the second test, we were given the same instructions, though the number of cups and cup movers increased. That said, there are now two cup movers and the addition of six more colored cups, three of which being blue while the remaining three are yellow. Inattentional blindness can be seen with the addition of a duck, in which we fail to see the obvious because our attention is focused on the red cup holding the candy. Moreover, change blindness is seen as a fifth hand begins shuffling the cups and when the blue cups are swapped for green cups. Change blindness is the failure to notice something that's there now that wasn't there a moment ago.
Firstly, the BBC video failed to note that failures are not limited to encoding and can occur at any stage (storage & retrieval). For instance, storage failures occur when information has disappeared from memory, while retrieval failures occur when someone attempts to recall something but can't. Moreover, the video failed to cover episodic memories with respect to infantile amnesia. Episodic memories are those of specific events and personal experiences. That said, Infantile amnesia is a phenomenon in which adults can no longer recall early episodic memories formed in childhood. Infantile amnesia is widespread among adults and is likely the consequence of our brain not being fully developed at the time these memories were encoded. Lastly, the creation of false memories could also be attributed to retroactive interference which is when new memories interfere with old ones.
Firstly, my friend is demonstrating divided attention, which includes focusing on two inputs simultaneously. With respect to my friend, they demonstrate divided attention by upholding the conversation while simultaneously ordering food via touch screen. Moreover, the question references how your friend has nearly committed the locations on the screen to memory. This could be referencing implicit and procedural memory as the individual has unconsciously and automatically committed the locations on the screen to memory. Moreover, they are aware of how to perform the task and don't have to consciously recall how it's performed (procedural). Thus, I believe the friend could hold a conversation with me and order at the same time as the process of ordering food includes unconscious recall.
With respect to a long sequence of numbers such as those present in pi, I would utilize the major system, which works by pairing numbers to consonants to form a familiar word from which the numbers can be derived. For instance, If I wanted to find the first 8 numbers of pi, I would chunk the numbers into groups of two, find the appropriate consonants, and create a word that uses said consonants. On the other hand, I’d use association, a type of mnemonic device to remember a deck of cards. Association includes making mental associations with something you already know to increase future recall. Regarding a deck of cards, I would need to make 52 mental associations as there are 52 cards in a deck. Once a mental association has been formed, I’d combine the associations into images. For example, each card would represent a celebrity or memorable person. Further associations can be made to distinguish between suits and cards.

Firstly, I’d inform college athletes of the risks associated with participation in the long term. One of these includes a concussion, a type of traumatic brain injury that can cause recurring short-term memory loss and long-term memory loss. This memory loss can persist for weeks, months, or even years after the initial trauma. While most concussion symptoms resolve in two weeks, some individuals develop post-concussive syndrome which leads to longer-lasting symptoms. Moreover, an individual who suffered multiple concussions may be subject to long-term problems such as ongoing issues with memory and concentration. Another risk includes persistent subconcussive hits, which can have a negative impact on an individual's attention and memory. Subconcussive hits damage the connections in our brains and repetitive hits have been linked to long-term neurological impairment.

[@jacksonbenin8191]

My earliest memory is reaching for some apple juice in the fridge. unable to speak at the time but able to walk

[@RetNemmoc555]

My earliest memory is getting a bath in a kitchen sink. It's just a snapshot, but the context is there. The direction I was facing, who was standing next to my mother, etc. I'm skeptical of this memory, naturally - it's reasonable to believe that my mother told me that this had happened, and therefore implanted the memory. However, my memory is of looking up at them, not of a child in a sink. What I'm wondering is, to what extent would I have remembered the event, as told to me, if there was not some fragment of the event bouncing around in my young brain - a kernel of truth.
In other words, why can't a very young child have memories or fragments that can be kept alive by someone later giving context (in my case, possibly by my mother telling me the story)? If memories can be triggered, then why couldn't a two-year old's memories be triggered at three or four or five-years old? Language gives context, so if that "snapshot" is still alive in a young brain, is it unreasonable to believe that it can later be captioned once language is acquired? How early and for how long can memories be recalled? Is there a kernel of truth at the center of even the most remote recollections? As interesting as this subject is to me, I've never really read into it. So many books, so little time..

[@Exitof99]

I too remember a flash of being bathed in a sink. For me it was the upstairs bathroom sink, but my mother never told ne that she did this directly, rather I told her I remembered it and she confirmed it.
Being the youngest, I also didn't see her ever wash any baby in the sink in this way.
So, the careful wording the speaker said used "probably." For a few of us lucky ones, we truly remember, as best as the brain allows.
I also have a flash on being carried on a shoulder (not sure who), looking behind as we passed into the kitchen.
But my strongest memory was before I knew language. My mom placed oranges slices on my high chair tray, and I thought without words how I loved them. I began choking and she had to slam on my back to get me breathing again.
I recently told my brother (at his daughter's wedding) about it, and he doubted I had such an early memory. I insisted, knowing that years ago that I told my mom about it as well, and that she confirmed it happened.
I mentioned this whole incident with my brother and she added that she couldn't forget it herself because she had to do the Heimlich on me.
Some things, especially traumatic events, can etch into our tiny brains forever. It's just not common.
Also, all my life, I've had great situational memory, remembering where I was when I first learned something or had a conversation. People's names, historical facts, not so much.

[@pollyannisha]

I really wish to believe that my first memories (I got 4-5 memories at age 4-5) are not real. Some of them still haunt me mentally and hurt my thoughts (traumas).

[@gamersplaygroundliquidm3th526]

My memories of my time in the hospital and the first months of my life where I still thought of myself as part of my mother and the realization that one day maybe 8 months into my life , that i was conscious, self aware on a new level and the strange feelings of knowing i just came from somewhere before here when i was born. id say these many be fake but i described the hospital bed they kept me in i also described a car they drove me home in , and the fact that by the time i was 1 years old these things were sold and gone with no picture records for me to see growing up i described memories of places i been with my parents when i was still 2 and also the night they brought my sister home 2 years after me when she was a baby , way to many things i remember that I had to truly remember to know the things I do.

[@OverlordGezora]

My first memory was weird, it started kind of like a blurry video, just colors and light moving in a blurry space, then everything spotted and flashed black, then, I was sitting on the stairs of my old house, my hands were on the brick stairs, and I was staring into the distance, it was so weird but I was so in tune with everything, I knew where I was, who I was, who my family were, how to do things, and other stuff, the weirdest part is that only now do I feel how weird it was, and weirdly now that I’ve heard other peoples first memories I find it weird that in this memory I was alone, or at least my family was inside and I was outside, I still wonder why I was out there in the first place but I’ll probably never know (also I forgot to mention that I was around 4in this memory)

[@Lea_Kaderova]

My earliest memories shouldnt even exist. I dont know how its possible, but I remember things from my mother workplace from time when she was pregnant with me. After my birth, she came back to the work only when I was already 3 years old and in the meantime, their company moved to the other building, but yet I have memories on that previous workplace despite I was in my mom belly in that time. I remember view from window, corridor in front of office with pipes under ceiling, mess on the table from papers, old typewriters in corner of her office and walking up the stairs. Its memories without context, probably like when somebody have alzheimer dissease and some memories just randomly pop up in his mind without knowledge of when it happend or what was going on. Till today I remember mom face when I was describing her all that as a kid. But with years those memories fading away. Before I could even taste the smell of that place and recall much more details. I wonder how is something like that possible.

[@TheStarCrow99]

My earliest memory is being with my grandmother during the 9/11 attacks, too young to really understand what was going on but I understood it was very bad from her reactions. Pretty sure I remember it because it was the first time I saw an adult panic like that. Also, yes, I see the joke in being so American that my first memory is literally 9/11.

[@heygirlies1108]

My earliest memory was just a big bright white light like a flash. Still wondering what that was but I remember that so clearly

[@officialname9817]

My first memory is being confused as to why I couldn’t remember anything from the days before

[@user-is2oy7oj3m]

I'm studying english with this video! Thank you from Ukraine 😘👍

[@user-mp3om9bi8h]

Thank you for doing great videos! It's really useful for learning English and interesting for getting new knowledges.

[@almy623]

My birthday is in February my first memory was at age 2 during the summer i broke my arm and probably got trauma from that. I remember alot of things from age 3-4 i recently sat down and replied every year in my life backwards and holy shit it was spiritual.

[@lazymusician10]

This was pretty interesting. I hope they'll be a few more informative videos on memory. :)
(looks like I'm the 3rd comment, never been this early to a video before)

[@bbcideas]

Thanks! We will keep that in mind - memory is totally fascinating! FYI we have a couple of videos that you might find interesting as they touch on similar kinds of themes: ua-cam.com/video/T1AK8gJRUJo/v-deo.html and this one about deja vu ua-cam.com/video/ORiIgDkfopM/v-deo.html

[@veronikazalesskaya356]

Do you have transcription to your video?

[@bilkisakter4270]

If you give English subtitles it would be very helpful for us. I am from Bangladesh 😌

[@sarah6189]

You can put subtitles from UA-cam by pressing the top right with 3 dots and pressing captions

[@akshay-jr1qz]

I remember first day of school my 5th birthday nine before that

[@zaidshah4535]

Jokes on you. I don’t have a first memory

[@MathLab4u]

If you follow mathlab, you ll see it is not hard

[@Exitof99]

You do! You just don't remember what it was.

[@dhruvrai2113]

How do you measure human memory in gigabytes?? Do humans store in bytes??

[@mollyoflynn6701]

Mine is a lunchbox…🙃

[@bailey_y]

Second!!!

[@sachin7425]

First!!!