Study Reveals Liked Sources Enhance Information Recall, Disliked Sources Impair Memory Retention

Scientists in Sweden found out that our brains learn better from people we like. When we get information from someone we admire, our brain is more likely to remember it. But if the information comes from someone we don't like, we might not learn it as well.

Our brain works like a computer that updates itself with new information. This helps us understand the world better and guess things we haven't seen directly. For example, if you see a man with a dog at the park and later see them with a woman, you might think they are a couple, even if you have never seen the two together before.

In a study, people were asked to remember things like a bowl or scissors. They were also asked about what they like or dislike, such as their political views or hobbies. The study showed that people remembered new information better when it was given by someone they liked. On the other hand, it was harder for them to remember information from someone they disliked.

This finding is important for understanding how people think, especially in politics where there are many liked and disliked figures. For instance, if someone agrees with a tax increase for healthcare and then sees improvements, they might connect the improvements to the tax increase even if they happened for a different reason.

The researchers say that our openness to new information depends on where or who it comes from. We tend to accept information more when it matches what we already believe. This shows how our brain might ignore or favor certain information based on our biases.

This study, published in the journal Communications Psychology, shows that our brain processes information differently based on the source, even if the information is neutral. This could have a bigger impact in real life where information often causes strong reactions.

Photo: Digital Information World - AIgen

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