Taking Notes Kills Your Memory
Researchers used the game Concentration to show that taking notes may not help us remember details
Hugh Downs hosted the TV game show Concentration from 1958 to 1971.
Photographer: Everett CollectionThis article is for subscribers only.
Forgetting everything you hear in classes or meetings? Your overstuffed notepad might be the culprit.
Most of us take notes because we think doing so will help us remember what we're learning. According to psychologists at Mount St. Vincent University in New York, our brains have a different view: “Hey, he’s writing this down, so no need to warehouse this stuff. Better to make room for other stuff.” (Your brain may sound different, but that’s how mine talks.) Researchers call this phenomenon intentional forgetting.