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#430 – Charan Ranganath: Human Memory, Imagination, Deja Vu, and False Memories

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May 25, 2024

Guest

Charan Ranganath

Charan Ranganath, a psychologist and neuroscientist at UC Davis, dives deep into the fascinating world of memory, exploring how it shapes our identities. He discusses the dual nature of memory and experiences, emphasizing the impacts of nostalgia and false memories. Charan also shares insights about memory development in childhood and techniques to enhance memory retention. The interplay between sleep and encoding, as well as the ethical implications of brain-computer interfaces, are also intriguing highlights of this insightful conversation.

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INSIGHT

Remembering Self vs. Experiencing Self

We don't replay experiences, we remember a biased version.
These memories, especially beginnings, ends, and peaks, shape decisions and happiness.

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ADVICE

Maximize Memory for Happiness

Memories can be a primary source of happiness.
Repeatedly remembering and evolving positive memories maximizes long-term happiness.

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ANECDOTE

Paddleboarding Mishap

Charan Ranganath shares a near-death paddleboarding experience.
Repeatedly recounting the story transformed a terrifying experience into a bonding one.

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Why We Remember, Unlocking Memory's Power to Hold On to What Matters

Charan Ranganath

Charan Ranganath is a psychologist and neuroscientist at UC Davis, specializing in human memory. He is the author of a new book titled Why We Remember. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
– Riverside: https://creators.riverside.fm/LEX and use code LEX to get 30% off
– ZipRecruiter: https://ziprecruiter.com/lex
– Notion: https://notion.com/lex
– MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/lexpod to get 15% off
– Shopify: https://shopify.com/lex to get $1 per month trial
– LMNT: https://drinkLMNT.com/lex to get free sample pack

Transcript: https://lexfridman.com/charan-ranganath-transcript

EPISODE LINKS:
Charan’s X: https://x.com/CharanRanganath
Charan’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/thememorydoc
Charan’s Website: https://charanranganath.com
Why We Remember (book): https://amzn.to/3WzUF6x
Charan’s Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ptWkt1wAAAAJ
Dynamic Memory Lab: https://dml.ucdavis.edu/

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OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(10:18) – Experiencing self vs remembering self
(23:59) – Creating memories
(33:31) – Why we forget
(41:08) – Training memory
(51:37) – Memory hacks
(1:03:26) – Imagination vs memory
(1:12:44) – Memory competitions
(1:22:33) – Science of memory
(1:37:48) – Discoveries
(1:48:52) – Deja vu
(1:54:09) – False memories
(2:14:14) – False confessions
(2:18:00) – Heartbreak
(2:25:34) – Nature of time
(2:33:15) – Brain–computer interface (BCI)
(2:47:19) – AI and memory
(2:57:33) – ADHD
(3:04:30) – Music
(3:14:15) – Human mind

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