Memory and Forgetting Laboratory

What causes people to forget?  My laboratory is actively investigating how background context influences our ability to retrieve information. In our constantly changing environment, we process enormous amounts of information on a daily basis. While we may not pay particularly close attention to the environment in which we study and learn, these contexts play a big role in our ability to remember. In fact, research suggests that when people are tested in a context different from the one in which they studied, they are prone to forgetting. This form of memory impairment was demonstrated not only with external physical environments, but also with internal environments such as mood or pharmacological states.  My broad interests include the the role of context in memory phenomena.  My lab has been also actively exploring whether people can intentionally forget information when they attempt to do so, and if so, how do they do it. We have proposed that context plays an important role not only in passive forgetting but also in intentional forgetting. Finally, as we age, we become less efficient at memorizing things.  I'm interested in how aging affects memory, and the role of context in forgetting in older adults.