Memory plays an essential role in our ability to learn from new experiences and refine our existing knowledge base. We learn from individual events and synthesize these experiences to form new interpretations of our environment. This capability to conclude phenomena beyond our direct experiences is known as memory integration, which enhances learning speed and adaptability. Inês Bramão, an associate professor of psychology at Lund University, provides a practical example of memory integration: Imagine strolling through a park and observing a man with a dog. Later, you see the same dog with a woman in the city. Instinctively, your brain might connect these two individuals as a couple despite never having seen them together. Bramão notes, “Drawing such inferences is both adaptive and beneficial, but there’s always the possibility that our brain might make inaccurate assumptions or exhibit selective memory.”
The source of information significantly influences the effectiveness of memory integration. In experiments conducted by Inês Bramão and her colleagues Marius Boeltzig and Mikael Johansson, participants were tasked with remembering and connecting various objects like bowls, balls, spoons, and scissors. It was found that memory integration was facilitated when the information was presented by someone the participants liked as opposed to someone they disliked. Participants defined ‘like’ and ‘dislike’ based on various factors including political beliefs, academic majors, dietary preferences, and personal interests. This underscores the role of our personal biases in how effectively we integrate and recall information, prompting us to be more introspective and self-aware in our memory processes.
This phenomenon has practical implications, particularly in the political realm, as illustrated by Bramão with a hypothetical example: A political party advocates for raising taxes to improve healthcare services. If an individual who supports this party visits a healthcare facility and notices improvements, they might attribute these enhancements to the tax increase, even if different factors caused them. This tendency to connect information based on pre-existing biases underscores the significant influence of source credibility and personal alignment with the information presenter. It also highlights the need to be cautious and discerning in evaluating the credibility of our information sources.
The broader body of research, as explained by Mikael Johansson, professor of psychology at Lund University, indicates that people process information differently depending on the source. This has profound implications for understanding how fundamental memory processes shape polarization and knowledge resistance. Johansson states, “Our research shows how significant phenomena like polarization can partly be traced back to fundamental principles that govern how our memory works. We are more inclined to form new connections and update our knowledge from information presented by groups we favor, which often align with our pre-existing beliefs and ideas, potentially reinforcing polarized viewpoints.”
Understanding the roots of polarization and resistance to new knowledge through essential brain functions offers a deeper insight into these complex behaviours. It’s not just about social media echo chambers but also about an innate way of processing information that emphasizes how differently we integrate information depending on who is presenting it. This aspect of human cognition highlights the challenges in combating misinformation and the importance of diverse and trustworthy information sources.
Mikael Johansson further elaborates on the real-world implications of these findings: “Particularly striking is that we integrate information differently depending on the source, even when the information is completely neutral. In real life, where information often triggers stronger reactions, these effects could be even more prominent.” This observation suggests that understanding and addressing the cognitive biases that influence how we process and integrate information is crucial for fostering more informed and balanced perspectives in our increasingly polarized society.
More information: Marius Boeltzig et al, Ingroup sources enhance associative inference, Communications Psychology. DOI: 10.1038/s44271-023-00043-8
Journal information: Communications Psychology Provided by Lund University
