TRYING TO FORGET

“The ability to let go of thoughts and remembrances supports a sound state of mind, a sharp intellect and an even superior memory”

By: Ingrid Wickelgren

Published: Scientific American Mind, the January – February 2012 issue
To access the article, copy paste the following:
 http://www.nature.com/scientificamericanmind/journal/v22/n6/full/scientificamericanmind0112-32.html

Level of Difficulty: *****

Note to the reader: This task, like the others out of this magazine, is only available to subscribers. I have made an effort to avoid such material on principle but have made an exception for this magazine as it is so very, very good. I suggest you subscribe like I have done. You won’t regret it. Alternatively, you will need to pay a small fee to get access to the article.

BEFORE YOU READ

It is suggested that you watch “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” either on your own before tackling the text or as a class and discuss it before attempting the reading task. The significance will astound you.

QUESTIONS

1.       Read the story of Solomon Shereshevsky. Why exactly did he wish to forget?

2.       What seems to be the problem with our memories?

3.       How can the above problem be overcome?

4.       What conclusion can we draw from the three advantages of repression listed in paragraph 5?

5.       What view concerning repression did Robert A. Bjorg challenge? What argument did he put forward?

6.       What is the advantage of retrieval induced forgetting?

7.       What role does the prefrontal cortex play in forgetting?

8.       Read Anderson’s experiment carefully. In which respect did the conclusions Anderson reached fit in with Freud’s views? In which respect did they contradict Freud’s views?

9.       While the act of forgetting was observed to trigger ………………………………….. in the ……………………………………. ; the act of remembering triggered ………………………… in the ………………………………………. according to John Gabrielli’s experiment.

10.   List the three stages through which the brain goes in order to suppress emotional memories. Be brief and to the point.

11.   What are the two techniques the brain employs in order to forget? Which is more affective? How do you know?

12.   There is a …………………………….. correlation between the inability to forget and rumination and possibly depression.

13.   What groundbreaking discovery did Depue’s group make concerning ADHD?

14.   What surprising connection did Anderson and Bell discover concerning retaining information?

15.   Why do children and older adults have greater difficulties getting over traumatic or distressing events in life?

16.   What is the phrase “if only” in paragraph 25 a response to?

17.   What practical advice does Bauml have to offer the public?

18.   Read the study conducted by Justin Hulbert and Brice Kuhl. What conclusion was reached as a result of their observations?

19.   What important finding concerning depression did Hertel, Jutta Joormann and their colleagues make?

20.   Does Tomlinson agree or disagree with the methods described so far? What does she advocate?

21.   What are the two future applications of the research discussed thus far?

WRITING TASK

Write a reaction essay to the film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”. Support your views with information from the text.

TRYING TO FORGET KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

I have, on principle, based the reading tasks I have posted thus far on texts that are readily available on the internet. I am, however, making an exception in the case of Scientific American Mind which is a treasure trove of invaluable reading material. There is a limit to how far you can insist on principlesJ Both you and your students will benefit from subscribing to the magazine. Alternatively, you will need to pay a small fee to access the articles. It will be worth it though; you have my word!

1.       The weight of all the memories, piled up and overlapping in his brain created crippling confusion. Shortest answer.

2.       The irrelevant stuff comes to mind.

3.       There is evidence for our ability to willfully forget.

4.       Memory – and forgetting – can shape your personality.

5.       People tend to block out negative emotions as a defense mechanism, individuals need to revisit these memories to promote psychological recovery; the purpose of forgetting is to prevent thoughts no longer needed from interfering with the handling of current information.

6.       It eliminates or tones down memories that are most likely to obstruct more important thoughts.

7.       Many areas of the prefrontal cortex are inhibitory; they calm the activities of neurons in other areas of the brain. Some of these same inhibitory neurons could work on memory.

8.       The brain can tamp down unwanted memories; although Freud thought unwanted memories came back to haunt us, new data indicate that people can make such recollections fade.

9.       Diminished activity; hippocampus; more activity; hippocampus

10.   The visual cortex goes silent, both the amygdale and the hippompus  quiet down,  the prefrontal cortex tries to minimize the emotions still clinging to it.

11.   Suppression, thought substitution; suppression because the brain signal that marks the moment of forgetting within half a second.

12.   Positive.

13.   ADHD seems to involve diminished control over memory as well as actions. This short fall opens the door to distracting thoughts that can disrupt efforts to concentrate.

14.   Keeping things in mind is related to keeping things out of mind. OR The individuals who could remember the most words were also the best forgetters.

15.   Because forgetting is more difficult for them

16.   If only Howard could make all the mess, sadness, phobias go away.

17.   When you enter a situation that is likely to trigger difficult memories, think about the need to put these out of mind ahead of time

18.   Practicing suppression over years might also make you better at it.

19.   Those who are depressed cannot just push away unwanted memories; they may need to actively replace them.

20.   No, action because it interferes with recollections.

21.   To parlay some kind of forgetting into treatments for mood disorders including depression, post traumatic stress disorder and obsessive compulsive disorders. It will also help crack the code of consciousness.