Human Memory

Human Memory
Memory of even the simplest, multicellular creature is not a matter of chance or skill, but is a well organized and extremely complicated system, determined fundamentally by genes and by experience.

Human memory is a highly developed and extremely efficient system. Memory means not only ‘the act of remembering’, but also ‘the person, thing, happening or act remembered’.

Other definitions include the use of the words ‘from memory’ to mean that something is remembered without the aid of notes, and the expression ‘in memory of’, meaning in honor of a certain person after their death.

An important feature of memory, or of the –process of remembering, is recall or recollecting at will.

‘At will’ is an interesting point, since learning is not usually automatic but involves attention, concentration and effort.

A good or a bad memory, in a singular, is an important part of everyone’s life.

Memories of pleasant or unpleasant things are often called ‘good’ or ‘bad’ memories.

What we called a ‘good’ memory varies from individual to individual. It has, in fact, become one of the main preoccupations of students and the major concern of people growing old.

People who complain about having poor or bad memory usually mean their fading ability to recall things.


The opposite of remembering is usually called forgetting. An important still open question is psychology is ‘learn to forget’, and if not, why not?

The common definitions of the word ‘forget; include ‘to put out of one’s mind’ meaning the active or intentional overlooking of an object, an insult and so on.

Finally, there is the odd phrase ‘to forget oneself’, meaning to lose control or behave without suitable dignity.
Human Memory