Memory: Content or Method?

Before going into a stressful situation, chances are you’ve heard the expression to “go in with a clear mind.” It turns out that there is more literal truth to this phrase than previously recognized. Science Daily reports, “our memories work better when our brains are prepared to absorb new information.” For you, the phrase “go into it with a clear mind” stirs images of getting a full night’s rest before making a major decision, for scientist John Gabrieli it means the parahippocampal cortex is ready for activation. The parahippocampal cortex (PHC) wraps around the hippocampus, a part of the brain critical for memory formation, and has been researched for its relationship to remembering visual scenes.

The implications of this study are far reaching because it challenges the hypothesis that strongly emotional events are more “memorable” than others. Instead, Gabrieli’s study suggests that the way the brain consolidates, stores, and retrieves information is important. The correlation between memory recall and PHC activation is significant because it initiates memory formation. In other words, it’s fair to argue that the less activation in the PHC, the less likely the brain will efficiently consolidate, store, and retrieve memories.

Gabrieli’s study also illuminates two interrelated components of CE. The first is how we help clients prepare their customers for successful learning. Everything from the information conveyed through advertisements to customer PIN numbers is a part of “successful learning.”

The critical question to consider in this instance is whether your company has a method of evaluating which interactions your customers remember the most frequently, the quality of these memories, and the strength of the recollection (vivid and detailed or vague and minimal). The second is how to interact with customers when they are in a receptive state.

The most critical question, however, is whether your company is designing the CE with memory recall as a goal.