CM 188: Lisa Genova on the Science Behind Memory

I’ve got a riddle for you. What do we need to get better at our jobs? To maintain relationships with family and friends? To find our keys?

The answer is memory. 

Yet when it comes to what it is and how to get the most out of it, we may not know as much as we’d like. And that’s too bad, because knowing even a little about how our memory works can give us a lot, including peace of mind.

That’s what made me pick up Lisa Genova‘s latest book, Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting. Lisa’s a Ph.D. neuroscientist and bestselling author of the book, Still Alice, which was adapted into an Oscar-winning film. Remember is an incredible resource that combines the science of memory with the compelling storytelling she’s known for.

Episode Links

Money: The True Story of a Made-Up Thing by Jacob Goldstein

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Automaticity

Semantic memory

Episodic memory

Prospective memory

A Powerful Way to Improve Memory and Learning

The Science of Learning to Learn and Self-Testing

Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer

Method of Loci or Memory Palace

Phantom Flashbulbs: False Recollections of Hearing the News about Challenger

The Neuroscience of Memory: Implications for the Courtroom

Elizabeth Loftus

Forgetting is Part of Remembering

He Ate All the Pi: Japanese Man Memorizes Pi to 111,700 Digits

Learning and Memory Under Stress

The Impact of Sleep on Learning and Memory and About Sleep’s Role in Memory

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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