Observation

[Dave A]

All that talk of RAM had me giggling a bit - as it stands for Random Access Memory (which seemed fitting somehow )

But a little research on RAM acronyms yielded this snippet too:

Read And Modify (original meaning when referring to computer memory)

Also fairly appropriate, come to think of it!

[Mike C]

I think that Adrian makes an important point here.

if I do not make an absolute point of trying to retain an event at the time that it occurs that it gets flushed

I remember a teacher at school (many years ago) who, when the scholar would say "I forgot!" would respond with ... "You have to remember first before you can forget."

[pmbguy]

- the subliminal mind probably did notice.

Unquestionably

Members of the same group would probably recall the event later. In similar studies it was found that some participants will recall the event, some recall after one hour, some through introspection-focus, meditation, hypnotherapy, some all of a sardine recall it 1 year later. Some never will recall it.
Nobody recalls the event in exactly the same manner, some recall totally different events

The un-conscience observation of the event is still taken into consideration and calculation by the mind. The fact that the event happened is clearly recorded in our sub-conscience. The human-mind will still add the data and reflect. Thought and behaviour would then be changed if needed. The sub-conscience will then determine the conscience. However, the event captured in our sub-conscience or conscience is only our perception of the event, Adding a further dimension, perception

I wonder in which manner the “code” for the yeti event is written in the mind of the observers who did not “see” the yeti?

[adrianh]

I do not believe that our memories are like video machines recording whatever we see. Think about it, we are fooled by TV screens that scan faster than our eyes can see, our eyes have blindspots and limit central focus. Our eyes saccade all the time and our minds builds up a picture based on the continual snapshots in different time and position. Further, there are 100's of ways to fol our eyes through "illusions" that use the tricks or shortcomings built into our visual systems. We may store more than we conciously perceive but we certainly don't store our own continuous visual field. Come to think of it the same applies to our ears, we filter our surroundings out and perceive what we are concentrating on, we do not store the entire auditory field. Of course some store more than others and some are better at it than others but I think that our circuitry is optimized in the same way that a JPG file is stored vs a BMP. Further, besides all the physical processing limitations we also have perceptual limitations in that we observe and remember things within our mental frame of reference. If I look at a car I will label and store features based on my knowledge of cars and my wife would store features based on her knowledge of cars. Neither of us might store the information visually and we will probably store totally different information. I would store mostly technical details and she would store mostly esthetic details. If we were to describw the car we saw the descriptions would be vastly different.

[pmbguy]

Forgive my omission.

The best way to remember anything is to make it a story.
The human-animal understands very well any story of resource. Make your plan cheese in a story, with 5 sub headings.
In the story, walk around and look at your A4’S in your office and your mind.
KISS Keep It simple Stupid

[Dave S]

Read And Modify (original meaning when referring to computer memory)

So that's why my wife only hears what she thought I said...LOL

[Dave A]

So that's why my wife only hears what she thought I said...LOL

I think most of us are guilty of that one on occassions.

[Blurock]

I do think memory depends on what you are focusing on at the time. People are like sheep and will do what they are told to do, like noting how many times the ball gets passed. We focus on this because we are told to and we want to get it right. If we were told to focus on something strange occurring, we would immediately have spotted the man in the yeti suit. Very few people have the ability or curiosity to look beyond the obvious, because we are too focused on the task we're busy with.

When you practice or do something over and over, it becomes second nature, like the rhythm of a drum or the ripples on a dam. You get into that rhythm and everything happens automatically, you do not have to think about it and you do not have to use memory to do it. It becomes instinct.

Funny (and embarrassing) thing happened to me the other day. I parked my car and collected my diary and stuff from the passenger seat. With my hands full, I realised that I did not have my car keys. It was not in the ignition (I always instinctively pull it out as soon as I reach my destination) and I could not find it anywhere in the car. I then got out of the car and looked again. Not in my pockets, not in the car or under the car!

I eventually had to call my wife to help me. We had a good laugh when she found the keys in the sunglasses holder where I instinctively put it with my sunglasses (without thinking). Because I was not thinking or focusing on the action, I could not remember putting my keys with my sunglasses. I thought I was losing my mind!

[Dave S]

I could not remember putting my keys with my sunglasses. I thought I was losing my mind!

I think we've all been there, I blame it on the "age" thing... even though I know I'm BS-ing myself. The amount of times I've closed the driveway gate, only to drive round the block to make sure...

[vieome]

What is actually interesting, is how we have moved the topic of the thread from talking about the brain and attention(observation) to a thread on memory another aspect of the brain. Psychologist Richard Wiseman has covered attention in depth, with some great videos showing the concept. Attention is directly related to focus but from my guess it is also related to memory, judging by the memory stories here, had we all had being made to count the basketball passes we would of spotted the Yeti as we would of forgot that the actually task was to count the balls, and our attention being on something else.

On memory every be standing at the fridge door and not sure if you wanted to put something in or take something out. Of late I find spending time with the kids playing memory games(anything to keep them off their cellphones) helps some what. As the say the brain is like a muscle and it needs it exercise to keep its different functions going. Memory games for memory. Meditation for attention and focus. etc