The Quality of Memories Matter More Than Quantity, Study Shows

An analysis published in the latest issue of the journal Psychological Review found that the capacity of our working memory is better explained by the quality of the memories we can store rather than by their quantity. The lead author of the study explained the findings show that humans don’t store a set number of items in their minds with the ability to recall them perfectly. Rather, we try to memorize all relevant objects, with the quality of the recollections declining over time as we have more to remember. Examining data from 10 experiments across six different laboratories, consisting of more than 130,000 subject responses, volunteers were asked to recall one of up to eight colors they had seen a few seconds ago — a well-established measurement for gauging memory. The results showed that the quality of memories diminished after volunteers were asked to recall more and more colors. To read more about this study, click here.