Our selective memory

The limits of our memory serve us well in many respects.

• Limited memories are useful trade-off to allow us to function and survive. We have thousands of memories, for example, of tables. If we recall all the events related to a table, it will create mass confusion w...

We overestimate threats that are less likely but easier to remember, like terrorism, and underestimate more complex threats, like climate change.

We are very bad at understanding statistical trends and long-term changes, because we have evolved to pay attention to immediate threats. ...

Is a cognitive bias that impacts how people remember past events. 

We don’t remember experiences accurately. Rather, we tend to recall the highlights and how things end. This applies for both positive and negatives experiences.