Memorizing the future: Encoding anticipated interactions enhances human memory for dynamic stimuli

Survival in nature requires responding to rapidly changing situations, where memory is crucial for fast and reliable decision-making. This work explores human memory modulation under the hypothesis that in dynamic scenarios critical information is encoded as static maps of future interactions. Results show that dynamic stimuli containing future interactions are recalled 36% better than equivalent stimuli that do not and even 23% better than simpler dynamic stimuli. This aligns with a central prediction of the time-compaction hypothesis, suggesting that stimuli involving anticipated interactions may be more efficiently memorized and recalled because they are compatible with simplified static representations of future interactions-their maps of interactions. This effect is modulated by stimulus complexity: in simple scenarios, recall differences appear only in men, while in more complex situations, no gender bias emerges. This work reveals novel mechanisms by which memory can cope with dynamic situations, suggesting that those critical to survival-fighting, chasing, or fleeing-are preferentially remembered, enabling efficient learning and decision-making in a complex changing world.