Tuesday, April 18, 2023

The Doorway Effect – Why We Forget Why We’ve Walked Into a Room

Written by: Marilyn Abrahamson, MA,CCC-SLP - CBHC


Have you ever walked into a room and suddenly forgotten why?

Research done at the University of Notre Dame, published in 2011 in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology showed that memory is often affected when we pass through a doorway. This is known as the Doorway Effect.

The author of this original research, Dr. Gabriel Radvansky suggests that our brain manages the continuous flow of information by breaking up experiences into small, more meaningful blocks of information called mental event models.

When we move from one situation to another – or even from one room to another – our brain updates to a new network of information, or a new mental event model that does not include information from the previous one.


So, as we switch gears, we may forget things from the previous event. This can occur whether we leave or enter a room, switch computer tabs, or work to refocus after an interruption.

The good news is that this shows that our brain is working as it should, adapting to the continuous flow of information and compartmentalizing properly. Dr. Radvansky suggests that in most cases, the process is helpful because this shifting of our mind from one event to the other, and forgetting what happened before is our brain’s way of clearing the slate – making way for new information. However annoying, it facilitates focus and accuracy by preventing us from perseverating on thoughts that are not relevant to the current moment.

How you can compensate for the doorway effect 

The study suggests there are ways to create a connection between one mental event model and the next to help you to recall your original objective.

      Carry a reminder into the next room: For example, if you want to hang a picture and you need to get a hammer, take a picture hook with you when you go to the toolbox. The picture hook in your hand will remind you of what you need when you get there.

      Start again: Returning to the room where the original thought was established will return you to the previous mental event model. If it doesn;t come to you immediately, look around the room, or return to the spot where the thought was initiated. Something in that spot may jog your memory and help you retrieve the information. Even simply thinking about where you were when you first thought about it can be effective as well.

A few more tips to add


When it comes to attention and memory, there are two golden rules that will always serve you well.

      Single tasking (by avoiding multitasking): Focus on one single task makes you more likely to stay focused and see it through to the end with high quality results without forgetting anything important, even with minor interruptions.

      Performing tasks mindfully: If you’re watching a movie and want a snack, but you forget why you’ve walked into the kitchen, you may need to be more mindful. Next time, as you walk into the kitchen, say aloud, “I’m going into the kitchen for a snack.” (Do this even if you’re alone – no one will hear you anyway.) The act of saying that phrase aloud as you’re walking to the kitchen will connect the memory of your objective from one mental event model (from the TV room) to the next one (to the kitchen).

The ability to create separate networks and compartmentalize is just one aspect of normal function that makes our brain so spectacular. The ability to rapidly determine what’s relevant and what’s not is the key to peak performance as the brain simply cannot remember everything all at once.

 

 

MARILYN ABRAHAMSON, MA, CCC-SLP : As a Brain Health Education Specialist at Ceresti Health, Marilyn offers initiatives that supports education and empowerment of family caregivers. She also writes for and edits the Ceresti’s monthly newsletter and produces all brain health education and brain-health coaching programs for caregivers.  Marilyn's prior work is as a NJ Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist since 1987 and is an Amen Clinics Certified Brain Health Coach.

 

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