Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Forgetting01:21

Forgetting

520
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...
520
Interference and Decay01:16

Interference and Decay

588
Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
588
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory01:26

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

2.4K
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...
2.4K
Amnesia01:13

Amnesia

892
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...
892
The Nativist Approach01:21

The Nativist Approach

607
The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to...
607
Implicit Memories01:24

Implicit Memories

622
Implicit memories, also known as non-declarative memories, are long-term memories that function outside of conscious awareness. These memories influence behavior and skills without explicit knowledge. This type of memory is evident in tasks like playing tennis, snowboarding, and texting. Implicit memory has three subsystems: procedural memory, conditioning, and priming. This type of memory is essential in various activities, from everyday tasks to specialized skills.
One key aspect of implicit...
622

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Infants' Domain-General Responses to Expectancy Violations.

Developmental science·2026
Same author

ManyNumbers 3: A Multi-Lab Study of Demographic Correlates of Early Number Knowledge.

Developmental science·2026
Same author

Mutual Sensitivity Between Caregivers Predicts Infant Affective State During Video Chat.

Infancy : the official journal of the International Society on Infant Studies·2026
Same author

In the Living Room and Across the Screen: Intergenerational Play Between Infants and Grandparents.

Infancy : the official journal of the International Society on Infant Studies·2026
Same author

Violations of social expectations enhance infants' learning.

Cognition·2025
Same author

Infants Recognize the Negative Impact of Phone Distraction on Performance.

Infancy : the official journal of the International Society on Infant Studies·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
06:35

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

35.9K

Array heterogeneity prevents catastrophic forgetting in infants.

Jennifer M Zosh1, Lisa Feigenson2

  • 1Penn State University, Brandywine, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, 25 Yearsley Mill Rd., Media, PA 19063, United States.

Cognition
|December 30, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Infants avoid catastrophic forgetting when working memory is exceeded if objects have contrasting features. This suggests perceptual contrast prevents memory failure in infants, allowing them to remember within capacity limits.

Keywords:
DevelopmentHeterogeneityInfantsObjectsWorking memory

More Related Videos

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents
09:01

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents

Published on: July 8, 2015

13.3K
The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
19:57

The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Published on: August 5, 2017

9.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
06:35

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

35.9K
The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents
09:01

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents

Published on: July 8, 2015

13.3K
The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
19:57

The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Published on: August 5, 2017

9.0K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Infant working memory capacity is limited.
  • Infants exhibit "catastrophic forgetting" when memory capacity is exceeded, failing to represent any objects.
  • Previous research showed infants fail to remember multiple identical objects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if object features influence how infants' working memory fails.
  • To explore the phenomenon of "catastrophic forgetting" in 13-month-old infants.
  • To determine if perceptual contrast prevents memory failure.

Main Methods:

  • 13-month-old infants were shown object arrays within or exceeding working memory capacity.
  • Objects presented had contrasting features, unlike previous studies with identical objects.
  • Infants' search behavior was observed after some objects were hidden and retrieved.

Main Results:

  • Infants successfully searched for missing objects when presented with four contrasting items and retrieving two.
  • Perceptual contrast enabled success, irrespective of labeling or semantic familiarity.
  • Infants succeeded when retrieving two of four contrasting objects, but not three, indicating memory limits were reached.

Conclusions:

  • Perceptual contrast between objects prevents catastrophic forgetting in infants.
  • Infants can remember within their working memory capacity limits when representing heterogeneous arrays.
  • Heterogeneous arrays do not expand working memory capacity but prevent memory failure.