Memory is a subject that has been widely researched in recent years; from techniques to aid our memory to the widely debated ‘definition’ of memory itself. However, although we all struggle to remember a lot of things, it has become clear that food (and confectionery in particular) always brings back strong, detailed memories in participants. The reason behind this is something that has not yet been widely researched; although there are some texts available on the effects of the visual and auditory senses on memory, there is very little on the other senses (Baddeley, 1997, p9). The consumption of confectionery uses all five main human senses (to various extents), and therefore provides a perfect platform to explore this further. (Consideration
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From early investigations into visual persistence by J.A. Segner (cited by Mollon, 1970, p182) in 1740, which provided an initial understanding of visual persistence (the theory that an image remains in the short-time visual memory for 100 milliseconds) to more recent research into long term memory, such as a study into memory of a particular shape over a month (Rock, I., & Engelstein, P., 1959, p221-229) which showed that although participants quickly lost the ability to accurately recreate the shape, almost all could successfully select the original shape from a number of similar shapes a month later. Another similar study (Nickerson, 1965) tested participants’ visual memory over periods of up to a year, by which time successful recognition of the initial images shown was still at an impressive 63%. These studies and many others all show that sight plays a huge part in relation to memory, which was confirmed in our research; the branding and visual appearance of a sweet were often what initially triggered nostalgia and recall of a particular event in participants, and they often went into heavy detail of the visual aspects of the memory, even when
From early investigations into visual persistence by J.A. Segner (cited by Mollon, 1970, p182) in 1740, which provided an initial understanding of visual persistence (the theory that an image remains in the short-time visual memory for 100 milliseconds) to more recent research into long term memory, such as a study into memory of a particular shape over a month (Rock, I., & Engelstein, P., 1959, p221-229) which showed that although participants quickly lost the ability to accurately recreate the shape, almost all could successfully select the original shape from a number of similar shapes a month later. Another similar study (Nickerson, 1965) tested participants’ visual memory over periods of up to a year, by which time successful recognition of the initial images shown was still at an impressive 63%. These studies and many others all show that sight plays a huge part in relation to memory, which was confirmed in our research; the branding and visual appearance of a sweet were often what initially triggered nostalgia and recall of a particular event in participants, and they often went into heavy detail of the visual aspects of the memory, even when