Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026
06:35
Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
Published on: April 28, 2016
34.3K
Infantile amnesia: forgotten but not gone.
Stella Li1, Bridget L Callaghan, Rick Richardson
1School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
Learning & Memory (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.)
|February 18, 2014
Summary
Early life memories, though forgotten due to childhood amnesia, leave a persistent trace. This memory trace influences later behavior, offering insights into memory persistence and recovery.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Memory Research
Background:
- Early life experiences significantly impact long-term physical, mental, and emotional functioning.
- Childhood amnesia describes the inability to recall memories from early life, contrasting with adult memory recall.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the paradox of influential early memories that are not consciously recalled.
- To explore the fate of forgotten early-acquired memories and their persistence.
Main Methods:
- This review synthesizes existing research on memory formation, forgetting, and persistence in early life.
- It examines evidence for enduring memory traces despite apparent forgetting.
Main Results:
- Forgotten early memories do not permanently decay; a persistent memory trace remains in storage.
- This enduring trace influences various behavioral responses later in life.
Conclusions:
- The existence of a persistent memory trace offers a solution to the paradox of early memory influence.
- Understanding this trace can illuminate forgetting mechanisms, memory retrieval failures, and potential memory recovery.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:13Amnesia
950
Amnesia is a condition marked by long-term memory loss, which impairs the ability to recall past events or create new memories.
The severity and duration of memory loss vary depending on the type and underlying cause. Amnesia is classified into two main types: retrograde and anterograde.
Retrograde amnesia is marked by the loss of memories formed before the onset of the condition. Patients may recall distant past events but often forget those occurring shortly before the incident.
Anterograde...
The severity and duration of memory loss vary depending on the type and underlying cause. Amnesia is classified into two main types: retrograde and anterograde.
Retrograde amnesia is marked by the loss of memories formed before the onset of the condition. Patients may recall distant past events but often forget those occurring shortly before the incident.
Anterograde...
950
01:21Dissociative Amnesia
1.2K
Dissociative amnesia is a complex psychological condition that manifests as an inability to recall personal information, often tied to traumatic or stressful events. Unlike general amnesia, individuals with this condition retain the ability to perform routine activities and procedural tasks, such as operating a phone or navigating public transportation, yet experience profound gaps in autobiographical memory. These lapses may encompass significant life events, such as suicide attempts or...
1.2K
01:26Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
2.2K
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or...
2.2K
01:21Forgetting
543
Forgetting is an intrinsic aspect of human memory, characterized by the gradual loss or inaccessibility of information over time. Hermann Ebbinghaus, a pioneering psychologist, extensively studied this phenomenon and formulated the forgetting curve. This curve illustrates that memory loss occurs rapidly immediately after learning and then decelerates over time. Several mechanisms contribute to forgetting, including encoding failure, storage decay, retrieval failure, and interference.
Encoding...
Encoding...
543
01:16Repressed Memory
661
Repressed memories are a psychological phenomenon where memories of traumatic events are unconsciously blocked from a person's awareness. This process occurs as a defense mechanism, protecting the mind from the emotional impact of distressing or painful experiences. For example, a person who has experienced childhood trauma may grow up with no conscious recollection of the event. In such cases, the memories are thought to be buried deep within the subconscious, inaccessible to the conscious...
661
01:23Immunological Memory
12.3K
Immunological memory, a pivotal pillar of the adaptive immune system, is responsible for the body's ability to remember and respond more swiftly and effectively to previously encountered pathogens. This remarkable feature is what makes vaccines so effective in preventing diseases.
What is Immunological Memory?
Immunological memory is an integral function of the immune system that allows it to recognize and react more rapidly and effectively to pathogens previously encountered. This feature...
What is Immunological Memory?
Immunological memory is an integral function of the immune system that allows it to recognize and react more rapidly and effectively to pathogens previously encountered. This feature...
12.3K