Let's read...

So how accurate are our memories? It depends on which kind of memory we're talking about. There are three kinds of long-term memory. There's semantic memory. Semantic memories are the facts and data, the information you learned in school, six times six, who was the first president, that kind of information. Also, your biographical information, where you were born, your street address, your phone number. So if we're talking about semantic memory, that's pretty stable and accurate. For example, if you learned that six times six is 36, when you were in the third grade, you're not gonna suddenly misremember that decades later as six times six is 75. That's not going to happen. There's also muscle memory. Muscle memory is similarly stable over time. It's a little bit of a misnomer. Muscle memory doesn't live in your muscles. This actually lives in a part of your brain called the motor cortex. That part of your brain tells all of the voluntary muscles in your body what to do. Muscle memory is the memorized choreography, the procedure for how to do things - how to brush your teeth how to swing a golf club, how to eat an ice cream cone. This is where the expression ""just like riding a bike comes in"", right? You can not ride a bike for decades and then get back on the bike and your brain will remember the choreography. You'll get on the bike and ride.

Let's follow Lisa...

So / how accurate / are / our memories? / It depends on / which kind of memory / we're talking about. // There are three / kinds of long-term memory. // There's semantic memory. // Semantic memories are / the facts / and data, / the information you learned in school,/ six times six,/ who was the first president, / that kind of information. // Also, / your biographical information, / where you were born,/ your street address, / your phone number./ So if we're talking about semantic memory, / that's pretty stable / and accurate. / For example, / if you learned that / six times six is 36, / when you were in the third grade, / you're not gonna / suddenly / misremember that decades later as / six times six / is 75. / That's not going to happen.// There's also / muscle memory. / Muscle memory / is similarly stable / over time. / It's a little bit of a misnomer /. Muscle memory / doesn't live in your muscles./ This actually / lives in a part of your brain / called the motor cortex. / That part of your brain / tells all of the voluntary muscles in your body what to do.// Muscle memory is / the memorized choreography, / the procedure for how to do things /- how to brush your teeth / how to swing a golf club, / how to eat / an ice cream cone. / This is where the expression / "just like riding a bike comes in",/ right? / You can not ride a bike for decades / and then get back on the bike / and your brain will / remember the choreography. / You'll get on the bike and ride.//

Let's read...

Episodic memory is a little different. This is your memory for the stuff that happened. This is the story of your life. This is, "oh, remember when." That's a little strange. It turns out that every time we recall a memory for something that happened, we have the opportunity to change it. Often not consciously. We might add a detail. We might leave a detail out. If somebody else experienced the same event, they might add some information that we agree with. And so we'll add that to our memory. We're also as human beings, natural born storytellers. So if there are pieces of information missing in my story or if there's a way I could embellish and make the story better, give it a nice beginning, middle and end, I might supply that, not knowing that I'm consciously lying. I'm just providing information that makes sense, to tell you the story of what happened.

Let's follow Lisa...

Episodic memory is a little different. / This is your memory for the stuff that happened./ This is the story of your life./ This is, "oh, remember when." // That's a little strange. / It turns out that every time we recall a memory / for something that happened, / we have the opportunity to change it. / Often not consciously. / We might add a detail./ We might leave a detail out./ If somebody else experienced/ the same / event, / they might add some information that we agree with. / And so we'll add that to our memory./ We're also as human beings, / natural born storytellers. / So if there are / pieces of information missing in my story / or if there's a way / I could embellish / and make the story better, / give it a nice beginning, / middle / and end, / I might supply that /, not knowing / that I'm consciously lying./ I'm just providing information / that makes sense, / to tell you the story of what happened.//