As our book states, “emotions are more often associated with events that are more easily remembered” (Goldstein, 2011). I definitely agree with that statement. I can recall stories when I have had a strong emotional connection to them. For example, when I changed my majored for the third and final time to Psychology it was quite the experience. My family was very disappointed and I went through a lot of self-doubt and depression because lack of support amongst other obstacles. Remembering that time often can bring back certain feelings of loneliness and nervousness. When I retell the story now, those vivid emotions help me recall a lot of the details about this era in my life.

 
Furthermore the book also mentions that as time pass some individuals become more confident in details of events that happened long ago even though more error in their descriptions occurs. I find this amusing and interesting. It is interesting to me because people are so confident in the abilities of their minds. It is exciting to know that people have such strong faith in their memories. On the other hand, I find it funny because people are so confident that they do not come to realize that our brains do not work as effectively as we age (after a certain point). A lot of our systems slow down, so why wouldn’t our brains do the same?Although I am only 22 I know that my brain does not work the same. I have a difficult time remembering what I had for breakfast a few days ago, so I am well aware that I cannot fully recall all the right details for events that happens years ago.

The human mind is fascinating, yet a tricky thing to master. Understanding our brains and knowing its abilities can help individuals like myself effectively use it without overconfidence and inaccuracy.

 
Goldstein, E. (2011). Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research, and everyday experience (3rd ed.). Australia: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.