Memory Lane: The Perfectly Imperfect Ways We Remember

We tend to think of our memories as impressions of the past that remain fully intact, preserved somewhere inside our brains. In fact, we construct and reconstruct our memories every time we attempt to recall them. Join Ciara Greene, co-author of Memory Lane, as she explains why our flawed memories are not a failure of evolution but rather a byproduct of the perfectly imperfect way our minds have evolved to solve problems. There are many benefits to our flexible yet fallible memory system, including helping us to maintain a coherent identity, sustain social bonds, and vividly imagine possible futures. But these flexible and easily distorted memories can also result in significant harm, leading us to provide erroneous eyewitness testimony or fall victim to fake news.

Ciara Greene will be ‘In Conversation’ with Dr Sam Berens, from the University of Sussex, and she will also be signing copies of her new book, Memory Lane, which will be available for purchase on the night.