The course concept that I have selected for this blog is encoding specificity. This topic falls into our memory section and it basically says that we remember things better when we find ourselves in the same conditions that we learned those things. Being in the same conditions could mean being in a specific place, smelling a certain scent, or even hearing some kind of sound could result in triggering a memory. I found this concept to be very interesting and it also happens in my life every now and then. So, when I was tasked with choosing a concept I decided on encoding specificity. An example of encoding specificity that has happened in my life is sometimes when I smell a very specific scent it will immediately make me think of being at an old friend’s house. This is a friend I haven’t spoken to in a very long time and I almost never think about them, but sometimes when I smell that scent it makes me think of the memories we made at their house and it also just brings back some classic childhood memories I thought I had forgotten. This is not the only circumstance in which I have experienced encoding specificity. Another example I can think of would be when I listen to a certain song or sometimes even just hear a certain part of a song or sound. This can often make me remember old events in my life that I don’t seem to think about until I hear that song or sound. My experiences relate directly to encoding specificity because the memories I think about only come to me when I am in the same conditions where I either learned something or had a meaningful experience of some sort. When I experience those same conditions, the memories are unconsciously brought to light and it is a very interesting thing to think about. Encoding specificity is something most people have probably experienced during their lifetime and it is something I have definitely experienced before. This concept is truly an amazing psychological discovery and something that I found to be the most relevant in my personal life.
Isaiah, Encoding Specificity was a very interesting topic to read about. I gained a lot of new knowledge after reading your blog post. I really like the way you connected this concept to your life. I could relate in a similar way!! I still smell pumpkin bread and think of my home back in Virginia.