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Forget something? Of course, we all have. From annoying tip-of-the-tongue moments to more embarrassing (or worse) memory lapses, forgetting is a regular—and sometimes even advantageous—occurrence. But we still have a lot to learn about exactly how and why these episodes occur. In this seminar, we will consider leading psychological and neuroscientific theories of forgetting, as well as the empirical evidence for them. Do memories simply decay over time or is interference to blame? Can memories be repressed only later to be recovered? How do drugs, alcohol, and traumatic head injuries affect memory consolidation? By the end of the course, you will have acquired the scientific background necessary to address these questions in relation to forgetting in your own life, as well as notorious cases of memory failures in the public sphere. This course is open to moderated students who have completed at least one of the following prerequisites: Cognitive Psychology (PSY 230), Learning & Memory (PSY 234), Neuroscience (PSY 231), or with instructor’s permission.

Course Materials:

• Fall 2021 Syllabus
• Additional materials posted on Brightspace