Memory helps us to retain past experiences, but sometimes we fail to remember. This inability to retrieve previously learned information is called forgetting. Psychologists have studied forgetting deeply to understand how and why it happens. According to NCERT, forgetting is a natural process and also a limitation of memory.
Nature of Forgetting
Forgetting is a natural part of human memory. It simply means the remember information when needed. Psychologists explain that forgetting does not always mean the memory is lost forever sometimes it is just not accessible at that moment.
- Universal Process: – Forgetting happens to every human being. No one can remember everything.
Example:- Forgetting someone’s phone number after a few days.
2. Selective Process: – We do not forget everything equally. Some memories fade quickly, while important ones stay for longer.
Example:- You may forget what you ate last Monday but not your best friend’s birthday.
3. Gradual Process:- Forgetting usually happens slowly with time not suddenly.
Example :- You may recall your recall childhood teacher’s name for years but later it becomes harder to remember.
4. Normal and Necessary:- Forgetting is not always negative.it helps us remove unnecessary information and focus on important things.
Example:- If we remembered every little detail of each day, our brain would be overloaded.
5. Can Be Temporary or Permanent :- Sometimes forgetting is just temporary (tip-of-the-tongue-situation), it is permanent ( completely erased from memory).
The Nature of Forgetting shows that it is a universal, selective, gradual and necessary process. It helps humans manage memory more effectively.
Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve:
Have you ever studied something in the morning and then forgotten most of it by night?
This is very natural. Our brain does not keep all information forever. The German psychologist Herman Ebbinghaus (1885) was the first to scientifically study how we forget things. From his experiments, he created the Forgetting Curve. The forgetting curve shows how quickly we forget information if we do not review or practice it again.
- Ebbinghaus memorized meaningless syllabus (like ZOF,MEP,DAX) and tested himself after different time gapes.
- He found that memory fades very fast, and then slowly with time.
- His results become a curve, called the forgetting curve.
In simple words – if you don’t revise, you lose most of the information very quickly.
1. Rapid forgetting at the beginning:- Within the first few hours, we lose a large amount of information.
2. Slower forgetting later:- After Some days, forgetting happens but at a slower rate.
3. Repetition improves memory:- If we review again, the curve becomes flatter (we remember longer).
Example :-
- Suppose you learn 10 new words today.
- After 1 day without revision, you may only remember 4–5 words.
- But if you revise after a few hours, you may still remember 8–9 words even after a week.
This is exactly what the Forgetting Curve shows.
Here are some practical tips:
- Spaced Repetition → Revise after 1 day, then after 3 days, then after 7 days, and so on.
- Active Recall → Test yourself instead of just re-reading.
- Meaningful Learning → Connect new information with real-life examples.
- Good Sleep → Helps in storing memories.
The Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve teaches us that forgetting is natural but smart revision can fight it. If you study once and forget don’t blame your brain it is normal. Instead use revision and practice to strengthen your memory.
