Attempts to Forget the Past Make It Harder to Remember the Present

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Break submission by Justin C. Hulbert, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, USA

An old photograph, the smell of warm apple pie, or even a long-forgotten name overheard at a party all have the potential to unleash a flood of related memories. In many ways, our conscious experience is dictated by the reminders we encounter in daily life. Sometimes, however, we are motivated to exert conscious control over which thoughts are permitted to rise to awareness, either by actively seeking to remember particular instances or by suppressing inappropriate, unpleasant, or otherwise distracting thoughts. While everyday life presents numerous opportunities to engage in these control behaviors, individuals coping in the aftermath of a major life trauma may be especially likely to turn to memory suppression to curb flashbacks. (read the Break on TheScienceBreaker)