Psychology News
Carole Peterson, a researcher at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, provided interesting insights into the phenomenon of childhood amnesia. The study is published in the journal Memory.
The Study
Peterson surveyed data from a range of published and unpublished studies involving children and adults alike. She reviewed research on infantile amnesia, the age of earliest childhood memories, and the consistency and malleability associated with first memories. She also interviewed children who suffered trauma injuries about their memories.
The Findings
The results revealed that the earliest childhood memories are formed earlier than thought and these are often shaped by a range of cognitive and social factors.
In fact, your earliest memories go back to less than two years of age. Because of childhood amnesia, you may forget these memories in adulthood, but repeated solicitation and invoking of these ‘closeted’ memories can help you successfully recall them.
To Know More You May Refer To
Peterson, C. (2021). What is your earliest memory? It depends. Memory, 29(6), 811-822. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2021.1918174