Science of Perception Box Is Time Real? How Your Brain Perceives the Past with Dr. Lila Davachi
Mar 6, 2025
In a fascinating discussion, Dr. Lila Davachi, a leading neuroscientist from Columbia University, delves into the intriguing relationship between time, memory, and perception. She reveals how emotions significantly shape our memories and our understanding of the past. The conversation explores how we can control memories, the therapeutic potential of memory reappraisal, and how monotony affects our time perception. Listeners will be captivated by the psychological implications of altered time experiences and personal anecdotes that shed light on the quest for meaning.
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Emotional Impact on Memory
- Negative experiences create vivid but fragmented memories, lacking context.
- Positive experiences form flexible, integrated memories with richer details.
HM and Unconscious Memories
- Dr. Davachi discusses patient HM, who had amnesia due to hippocampal damage.
- HM showed fear responses to negative stimuli, despite not consciously remembering them.
Purpose of Memory
- Memory's main purpose isn't simply remembering but building knowledge and understanding.
- Forgetting is crucial for prioritizing important information and updating our world model.