All of us have memories we’d prefer to forget. When we have experience of positive events, we tend to store and retrieve memories. When negative events are encountered, we try sometimes to forcefully to forget such experiences. We suggest to ourselves: forget. During hours of consolation, others also follow the same technique of suggesting: “Please forget the event”. The fundamental question concerns: Does it work?
It was the noted psychologist, Sigmund Freud, who spoke of this kind of forgetting. According to Freud, unpleasant memories disturb the stability of the ego. Accordingly, people force their memories into the realm of the unconscious.
However, many psychologists do not agree with Freud. Some of the critics argue that there is no objective proof supporting the existence of the unconscious. These critics cite the rule that there is an equal and opposite reaction to every action. If we try to force us to forget something, the materials gain strength. As a result, these are better remembered.
Interestingly, the controversy has reached a new dimension with the advent of modern and technologically advanced techniques of studying brain functions. In recent years, it is possible to specify the specific brain centres that are linked with particular activities. As every body knows, specific brain centres are concerned with auditory functions. Although these are previously known facts, the centres for relatively more complex functions such as solving mathematical problems can now be identified with the application of magnetic resonance methods.
With the application of magnetic resonance techniques, neurologists have observed brain function at the time of people’s remembering and forgetting unpleasant experiences. People are advised to think of unpleasant events while comparable group of people are advised to forget unpleasant events. This think/nothink design reveals an interesting finding.
It is shown that hippocampus - a centre of the brain linked with memory-is activated when people remember unpleasant event. On the contrary, another centre which is linked with memory-inhibitory functions is shown to be active while people try to forget.
The message of the finding is clear. When people try to forget unpleasant events, the efforts do not go waste. The self-suggestion prompting “forget” seems to work. Parenthetically it is also suggested that relatives and social workers who offer counselling to the agonized victims do help in reducing the agony if they say – “please, forget the aweful event”.
It was the noted psychologist, Sigmund Freud, who spoke of this kind of forgetting. According to Freud, unpleasant memories disturb the stability of the ego. Accordingly, people force their memories into the realm of the unconscious.
However, many psychologists do not agree with Freud. Some of the critics argue that there is no objective proof supporting the existence of the unconscious. These critics cite the rule that there is an equal and opposite reaction to every action. If we try to force us to forget something, the materials gain strength. As a result, these are better remembered.
Interestingly, the controversy has reached a new dimension with the advent of modern and technologically advanced techniques of studying brain functions. In recent years, it is possible to specify the specific brain centres that are linked with particular activities. As every body knows, specific brain centres are concerned with auditory functions. Although these are previously known facts, the centres for relatively more complex functions such as solving mathematical problems can now be identified with the application of magnetic resonance methods.
With the application of magnetic resonance techniques, neurologists have observed brain function at the time of people’s remembering and forgetting unpleasant experiences. People are advised to think of unpleasant events while comparable group of people are advised to forget unpleasant events. This think/nothink design reveals an interesting finding.
It is shown that hippocampus - a centre of the brain linked with memory-is activated when people remember unpleasant event. On the contrary, another centre which is linked with memory-inhibitory functions is shown to be active while people try to forget.
The message of the finding is clear. When people try to forget unpleasant events, the efforts do not go waste. The self-suggestion prompting “forget” seems to work. Parenthetically it is also suggested that relatives and social workers who offer counselling to the agonized victims do help in reducing the agony if they say – “please, forget the aweful event”.