How well we remember things is based on the brain's prediction of its usefulness in a given situation. Predicted utility influences fidelity of memory representations in the brain.
Paper: Predicted utility modulates working memory fidelity in the brain
Why do we remember important information easily while trivial details oftentimes quickly fade away almost unconsciously?
It turns out our brain anticipates which information we will likely need again and gives it extra attention in working memory. Researchers refer to this as "predicted utility."
Researchers studied this by presenting participants with patterns to remember. When participants knew beforehand exactly which pattern was important, they remembered it with higher precision. Conversely, when they learned afterward, the patterns were remembered less clearly.
Brain scans also backed this up. The researchers used fMRI to investigate whether predicted utility influences fidelity of memory representations in the brain. Patterns predicted to be most useful were maintained in memory with greater fidelity, even when memory load remained constant.
In simpler terms, our brain actively prioritizes important information by making it clearer and more precise in our memory, regardless of the number of things we're trying to remember.
Moreover, this occurred even when participants had only a single pattern to remember. This means the brain wasn't just redistributing limited resources among multiple items. Instead, the brain proactively allocates resources, almost like reserving memory space ahead of time for what matters most.
This study also perfectly explains why taking an exam before learning the subject can enhance future learning of that subject.
