Memory and Nostalgia

"Nostalgia is like a grammar lesson: you find the present tense, but the past perfect! "
~Owens Lee Pomeroy

The ability to create new memories, store them for periods of time, and recall them when they are needed allows us to learn and interact. The study of human memory has been a subject of science and philosophy for thousands of years and has become one of the major topics of interest within cognitive psychology. Dictionary definition - Memory refers to the processes that are used to acquire, store, retain and later retrieve information. There are three major processes involved in memory: encoding, storage and retrieval


In order to form new memories, information must be changed into a usable form, which occurs through the process known as encoding. Once information has been successfully encoded, it must be stored in memory for later use. Much of this stored memory lies outside of our awareness most of the time, except when we actually need to use it. The retrieval process allows us to bring stored memories into conscious awareness.
While several different models of memory have been proposed, the stage model of memory is often used to explain the basic structure and function of memory. Initially proposed in 1968 by Atkinson and Shiffrin, this theory outlines three separate stages of memory: sensory memory, short-term (working) memory, and long-term memory.
Memory capacity is based on processes, which led to information received by the body: events, images, feelings and ideas are encoded and stored in a form allowing their extraction, when the primary stimulies don't work. Central nervous system is involved to memory processes.A variety of stimuli from the external environment or internal are received by specialized nerve cells and their receptors.



Once information has been encoded and stored in memory, it must be retrieved in order to be used. Memory retrieval is important in virtually every aspect of daily life, from remembering where you parked your car to learning new skills. There are a number of factors that can influence how memories are retrieved from long-term memory. Memory Retrieval Basics Retrieval is a process of accessing stored memories. When you are taking an exam, you need to be able to retrieved learned information from your memory in order to answer the test questions. There are four basic ways in which information can be pulled from long-term memory. The type of retrieval cues that are available can have an impact on how information is retrieved. A retrieval cue is a clue or prompt that is used to trigger the retrieval of long-term memory.

• Recall: This type of memory retrieval involves being able to access the information without being cued with any part of the memory. For example, answering a question on a fill-in-the-blank test is a good example of recall.
• Recollection: This type of memory retrieval involves reconstructing memory, often utilizing a logical structures, partial memories, narratives or clues. For example, writing an answer on an essay exam often involves remembering bits on information, and then restructuring the remaining information based on these partial memories.


• Recognition: This type of memory retrieval involves identifying information after experiencing it again. For example, taking a multiple choice quiz requires you to recognize the correct answer out of a group of available answers.


• Relearning: This type of memory retrieval involves relearning information that has been previously learned. This often makes it easier to remember and retrieve information in the future and can improve the strength of memories.

There are three types of memory, sensory, short-term, long-term. Sensory memory is associated with different sensory organs (vision, hearing) and characterized by the fact that it is short-lived to about 0.5 sec. The huge capacity is used for this process of perception that could draw the maximum necessary information from incoming stimuli, and the fact that stores information without processing or distortion. Only those elements that attract attention and stand out will be transferred to short-term memory and persist longer.

In other words, the advertising messages must be constructed so that as soon as possible to attract as much attention to the consumer. Short-term memory takes a small amount of information and is used for temporarily storing the sensory data or information taken from the long-term memory, or the results of data processing in the brain (eg the results of the calculation, meaning of conversation). The information remains in our memory as long as we focus on it (repeat or reflect on the meaning of something).
More the stimulus .. such as media advertising, the better the information is stored which is subsequently transferred to long-term memory. Long-term memory provides permanent storage of memory traces of theoretically unlimited capacity and storage.


Nostalgia

definition:

1. a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time: a nostalgia for his college days.

2. something that elicits or displays nostalgia.

Nostalgia is a kind of feeling, but by many psychologists, it is deemed disease. Nostalgia is regarded by the average man as a longing for the homeland, nostalgia for past events that are rooted deeply in our memories or dreams, for our psyche which has become a reality. Nostalgia has a broad meaning and is often associated not only from psychology but also philosophy, culture, art. Once, however, nostalgia was considered a disease. Claimed because of the nostalgia associated many symptoms such as crying, sadness, depression, anorexia, depression, insomnia, and even irregular heartbeat. The disease was once attributed only to immigrants. However, it was noted that it also occurs in normal living humans and can even improve the health and psyche of a man who suffers from it. This yearning is present in every age and every culture. Done research on people who have induced nostalgia. Then it turned out that dramatically improved their mental state, self-esteem was raised, and people had the feeling that somebody loves them, respects and supports.




Experiment :

Psychologists, from the Universities of Southampton and Sun Yat-Sen University, in Guangzhou, China, conducted four diverse studies to test whether nostalgia could combat the effects of loneliness in people from different walks of life, including schoolchildren, college students and factory workers. One study involved a group of migrant children between nine and 15 years of age who had moved with their parents from rural areas to the city of Guangzhou. The psychologists assessed how lonely they felt, how nostalgic they were for the past, and how strong they felt their own support networks to be. The results showed that, while the loneliest children felt there was a lack of social support, they were also the most nostalgic for the past. This in turn increased their perceptions of social support, making them feel less lonely. Psychologist Dr Tim Wildschut of the University of Southampton explains: "Our findings show that loneliness affects perceived social support in two distinct ways. First, the direct effect of loneliness is to reduce perceived social support, so that the lonelier a person feels, the less social support they perceive for themselves. "But paradoxically, loneliness may also have an indirect effect by increasing perceived social support via nostalgia: the lonelier someone feels, the more nostalgic they become, and the more social support they may then perceive they have." Tim continues: "Our findings show that nostalgia is a psychological resource that protects and fosters mental health. It strengthens feelings of social connectedness and belongingness, partially improving the harmful repercussions of loneliness. Our research is an initial step towards establishing nostalgia as a potent coping mechanism in situations of self-threat and social threat. The past, when appropriately harnessed, can strengthen psychological resistance to the vicissitudes of life." Further, the researchers found a connection between nostalgia and emotional resilience, with the restorative function of nostalgia being particularly marked among highly resilient individuals who are able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. When lonely, these people report high levels of nostalgia. The researchers say their findings have implications in a number of areas, including for clinical psychology, where nostalgia could be used as a tool in cognitive therapy, training individuals to benefit from the restorative function of nostalgia when actual social support is lacking or perceived as lacking.

Music plays a huge role in nostaligic adverts. It allows customers to move in the atmosphere created, even before they look at the TV screen. Recipient has time to remember the product and link it to the nostalgic memory. After a few times to see such an advertisement, the consumer will associate the product with his memory. This is exactly what they meant so the ad makers achieve a success.



Extremely nostalgic tune!



Another useful link The Power of Nostalgia in advertising

Nostalgic corner: memories of my childhood

Wedding of Mrs Fox by Grimm brothers

The Moomins

Are you afraid of the dark?

Destiny's Child

Sources:

http://psychology.about.com/b/2008/12/15/memory-psychology-definition-of-the-week.htm

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nostalgia

http://ideas.repec.org/p/umc/wpaper/0510.html

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/131239.php

http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/2010/01/the-power-of-nostalgia-in-advertising.html