Memory Embedding – And Its Impact on Demos

What are a few of your oldest memories? Interestingly, many people describe swimming at the beach or swimming lessons when they were very young children as some of their oldest and yet most strongly retained memories. Why is this?


It has been suggested that the strength of long-term memory is at least partly due to the degree of “embedding” that is done by our brains. Embedding includes repetition of the memory and the number of senses that were involved in the original event, plus the emotional impact of the event. For a swimming experience as a young child, then, it isn’t surprising that the memory can be strong. Consider the senses involved for child at a swimming class in a pool:

• Sound: The sounds of splashing water, other kids yelling, the instructor’s directions…
• Sight: The vision of the pool and water, especially the distorted effect of what is seen under water…
• Touch: The feel of the pool water, churning, bubbles…
• Taste: The taste and texture of the pool water…
• Smell: The smell of chlorine and sun-block lotion….

 Add to that other emotional components that might also be in play: the sense of accomplishment of your first lap across the pool; the desire to show your mother/father how well you can do; the fear of sinking… The sum is quite a compelling range of input which may all serve to embed that memory strongly.

An early visit to the beach may yield even stronger memories and embedding:

• Sound: Waves breaking on the beach, sea-gull calls, kids yelling…
• Sight: The ocean above water, the murky green underwater, breaking waves and foam, sand, birds…
• Touch: The cold water swirling up your legs, waist, shoulders; a wave breaking over you; foam around your legs; the hot sun overhead; the sand under your feet and the weird stuff you feel (shells, kelp…)…
• Taste: Salt sea-water, the grit of sand in your mouth…
• Smell: Sea-shore smells of ocean, decaying sea-weed and kelp, sun-block lotions…

Again, add to these senses the other emotional components: the accomplishment of your first forays into the surf; the fear of sinking, sharks, and other scary sea things…! It is not surprising that many people describe similar scenes as some of their strongest early memories.

What does the mean for software demos? It suggests that the more embedding that occurs during the demo, the more likely the audience will remember the demo. Most demos impact only two senses: sight and sound. The use of physical props and multiple pathways to embed ideas (stories, analogies, examples) – as well as emotional embedding (things that are perceived as fun, fearful, or fantastic) may help increase the strength of the retained memory of your demo.