Abandon Memory All Ye Who Enter Here: Study Finds Doorways Cause Forgetfulness

There is an interesting study out by University of Notre Dame Psychology Professor Gabriel Radvansky, which appears to show that one of the causes of forgetfulness may be doorways. Radvansky’s study shows that “entering or exiting through a doorway serves as an ‘event boundary’ in the mind, which separates episodes of activity and files them away.” Does this mean that we need a type of psychological feng shui movement with homes built with fewer doorways?

The study in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology explains that “recalling the decision or activity that was made in a different room is difficult because it has been compartmentalized.” The study used college students who moved from virtual rooms to virtual rooms while trying to remember objects.

That would suggest that, if you want to remember that last thing on your to-do list, you might want to stop before going into the next room or live in a wigwam. For my part, it is reassuring. I can now tell my wife it is not my age but those blasted doorways that are the reason I forgot half of the items on the shopping list.

Source: News Info as first seen on Reddit.