Media & Memory

In a recent discussion, it was mentioned that we retain our memory of fear more through visual stimuli (ie. scary movies) than we do other forms of media (ie. books or music). This conversation had me questioning what content was more retainable. 


From just my own experience, I noted other things that seemed to have a larger impact on me from my exposure to media. 

  • Preferences (likes and dislikes)
  • Pattern-making 
  • Meaning-making

Things I had learned when I was growing up related to these three things still are with me now. I have learned over time what media content I enjoy and that has been maintained with what I currently view. 

I also noted that all of my structure comes from the pattern-making I learned about with my media use as well as the content I viewed. With that said, I also recognized that not all of this was positive- I felt as though the patterns I made with my use of media altered my ability to multi-task because I adjusted my patterns to not include that aspect of development. 

Another benefit I saw was the ability to associate meaning with content and to be more intentional with my media use- this has been one of the biggest areas of focus in what I have learned from this class, and it has showed me the benefits of being actively involved as a media consumer. 

I still don't know what content specifically is more retainable for everyone, but felt as though narrowing it down for myself has allowed me to view media more critically now that I can see the vast impact it has on me. 

This has been an interesting topic and I can't wait to find out more about it!






Image from: https://neurogrow.com/what-social-media-does-to-your-brain/


Comments

  1. adelaideNovember 14, 2023 at 1:51 PM

    I think this is so fascinating! I think it is interesting to think about what kind of media we are drawn to. I love that we can think about how we attach meaning to the media that we watch. It is kinda crazy to think about how a lot of what we attach to sticks with us for years. I feel like because of this, it is important to be able to reflect on what media we do use and make sure it aligns with what we want. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

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