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SirDeviantRicky t1_iwc2d2h wrote

Reply to comment by Captain_Humanist in Scientists say memory is prone to change each time we recall. How accurate are our childhood memories actually? by PrestigiousClient655

Probably not very accurate. Even if it's only a 1% change each time, if it's over and over it will drastically change the overall memory. But at the same time, it won't necessarily change every little thing about it. Some of the details may change a lot but the more important part of it won't change as much, or even at all.

Memory is tricky like that

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PrestigiousClient655 OP t1_iwgdus5 wrote

So is the memory that years later maybe general details are accurate but specific details are not very accurate?

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SirDeviantRicky t1_iwgeu6g wrote

Yes but it could be the opposite as well- you could remember specific details very well bc they stick out in your mind, whereas general details might be harder to keep real and intact.

There isn't really one true answer for something like this. It will be different from person to person, and even for one specific person it will be different memory to memory.

I do think though that if you have one outstanding experience, that you can hold onto the feeling you have from it (whether consciously or not), and remember and be able to access that feeling for a long long time. And even if you're not sure how accurate your memory is, that feeling will still be there.

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