Do you ever finish a book only to forget its plot days later? Dr Sean Kang, a cognitive psychologist specialising in memory, says this is normal and not a sign of failing intellect. According to Kang, the information is still stored in long-term memory but can be difficult to retrieve due to interference from other similar content.
One key reason for forgetting is interference: when you read many books, memories of different plots and characters can blend together, making it hard to recall a specific one. This is especially true for people like journalists who process large amounts of text daily. The more similar information you encounter, the greater the interference.
Another factor is passive versus active engagement. Relying on tools like satnav or search engines can reduce the mental effort needed to encode information. If you know details are easily accessible online, you may not pay close attention, leading to weaker memory formation. This is part of a broader phenomenon where our working memory offloads tasks to external sources.
However, forgetting is not necessarily a bad thing. It allows us to focus on new information without being overwhelmed. Long-term memory is limitless, so we always have the potential to learn, regardless of age. So next time you forget a book, remember: it is still there, just tucked away.
