Forgetfulness; fact, or fiction?

[rwyatt365]

OK, ladies and gentlemen!

I am introducing this thread to settle an argument with my wife. Is forgetfulness personality-based (i.e. a trait of INTJ), or am I just getting old?

I refute the "old" theory because I have always misplaced things; crayons, toys (as a kid), books, writing utensils (as a youth), keys, paperwork (as an adult). And it's not that I'm messy – my home & work spaces are what I call "controlled chaos" – but I can recover things I need (mostly) at a moments notice. It's that things seem to disappear and then reappear "somewhere else".

Case in point; several days ago I was working on my wife's car and I used a particular tool. When I finished with that tool, I set it down with other tools on the ground near where I was working. As I was finishing up, I needed that particular tool to complete the task. Lo and behold, it was gone! I looked in the toolbox, inside the car, under the car, even in the house (just in case) but it was nowhere to be found. So, I jury-rigged another tool to get the job done. As I was packing things up I noticed a shiny glint out of the corner of my eye. Guess what? That tool I had spent 20 minutes looking for was sitting on a picnic table chair stored in the garage! How it got there, I do not know.

So, I offer the poll above to help support my theories about this so-called "forgetfulness".

[Natrushka]

In my household the probability that someone will remember where something has been placed is directly related to how important finding it is to each person. I can tell you with great accuracy where my husband's sunglasses, keys and work ID are because being able to do this means he wont call me 15 times at work whining he can't find them.

At the same time I'm the person who will sit across the table from you while you tell a story about how we all (me included) attended some show three years ago that I bought the tickets for and I will look at you as though you'd grown a second head. The show wasn't important and I really can't remember it, or buying the damned tickets for it.

And said husband can remember every stupid character actor who appeared in the movie Heat (and probably their lines if pressed). Just don't ask him where his good sunglasses are. ::)

[Rei]

I think it has to to with all the thinking going on at once in out heads. We think about so many things at once that we have to slip in and out of awareness of one thing or another. I guess one could say that we have short attention spans? Which does lead to the fact that a large percentage of the things we take in are only stored in our short-term memory. If we continue on to think about other random things, you will lose the information stored in your short-term memory.

A better memory can be drilled into a person though. It just takes a tad of patience, to pause a LITTLE, and give your attention to what you're doing for a little longer.

It also has to do with the amount of oxygen going to your brain. So people who are anemic (or women on their period) tend to be a tad more forgetful than the norm.

I don't know what to vote for. I'm a scatter brain at times, but I have a damn good long term memory... maybe I'm getting Alzheimer's at an early age :suspicious:

[Doppelbock]

I have a theory: each brain cell is used for either memory or CPU. (Yes, I know this isn't really how the brain works, but as an abstract model it illustrates a point.)

All of my brain cells are used for CPU. My brain's like a PC with an overclocked Intel quad-core processor but no frickin' hard drive whatsoever. So I can't remember crap but I can solve some very complex analytical problems. End of stupid analogy.

What were we talking about? [re-reads thread] Oh yeah, memory.

[thegnat]

Hm. I don't know what to vote for.

Because I have a few theories:
1) I'll tend to forget when I have a lot of other stuff on my mind.

Oddly enough I can guess what I'll forget. For example the other day I was like "I'm going to forget that there's a physics exam at 6-9pm on Sunday". Guess what? I did. I was doing physics and really zoned into the problems. But I wasn't at the review...

2) There are just some of those days where I can't remember shit. Also when I can't see something right in front of my nose and I forget where it is. Then I find it.

3) There are some days when I *know* I've forgotten some things due to massive amounts of academic information I've had to take in over the past few years.

But I don't know if any of those are personality based or not. Maybe at least a pre-disposition due to the fact that we are INTJs or something.

[rwyatt365]

I have a theory: each brain cell is used for either memory or CPU. *(Yes, I know this isn't really how the brain works, but as an abstract model it illustrates a point.)

All of my brain cells are used for CPU. *My brain's like a PC with an overclocked Intel quad-core processor but no frickin' hard drive whatsoever. *So I can't remember crap but I can solve some very complex analytical problems. *End of stupid analogy.

What were we talking about? *[re-reads thread] *Oh yeah, memory.
I like that...all RAM w/ no BBU.

[TeleportThis]

I wouldn't be surprised if something like this was gender related, actually.

I almost always remember where I put something, even if it was from several years ago in a box in the attic. I do forget to do things like go to the bank, or post office or something like that.

[thegnat]

Hm. I just forgot my keys...

Which is a really retarded thing to do (to the science quad and my dorm and the post office, thank god I didn't lock myself out my dorm). I knew I was forgetting something....

I don't know if it's gender related but supposedly women are more forgetful during "that time of the month". However I think that's mainly mental. I don't feel I'm more forgetful during that time than any other. Then again I don't make a big deal out if it, I tough it out.

And if it's "gender related" that generally means it's gender related because of a different way of processing information in general. I dunno...my brain's gender neutral, what can I say? haha

[Natrushka]

I don't know if it's gender related but supposedly women are more forgetful during "that time of the month". However I think that's mainly mental. I don't feel I'm more forgetful during that time than any other. Then again I don't make a big deal out if it, I tough it out.




I'd never heard that. Interesting.

BTW, if there is a correlation it would be mental. PMS => cortisol levels rising from pregnenlone and progesterone steal. High cortisol => less serotonin => increased / augmented depression. Increased cortisol => increased adrenaline (vise versa). The area of the brain that deals with stress, the limbic system, is also the are of the brain that deals with memory.

[thegnat]

I don't know if it's gender related but supposedly women are more forgetful during "that time of the month". However I think that's mainly mental. I don't feel I'm more forgetful during that time than any other. Then again I don't make a big deal out if it, I tough it out.




I'd never heard that. Interesting.

BTW, if there is a correlation it would be mental. PMS => cortisol levels rising from pregnenlone and progesterone steal. High cortisol => less serotonin => increased / augmented depression. Increased cortisol => increased adrenaline (vise versa). The area of the brain that deals with stress, the limbic system, is also the are of the brain that deals with memory.



Hm. Didn't know that. So I was right and I didn't even know it. Awesome ;D

So it would make sense.

But yeah. I voted for the fairies and space warp. Cause I just don't know.

[thecraig]

I forget stuff all the time. The cause is usually that I have zoned out. I'll be thinking heavily about something and put something down. Five minutes later, I dont know where I put it or I get wrapped up in some project and forget to do something or go somewhere. The reason I don't remember something some one said or something that happend yesterday... well, either I was paying attention to something else or it just wasn't very important.

[aude]

Like i tell every one. I am a chaotic organizer, my big piles of stuff has a purpose. But like most people i have a tendency too mis place almost every thing.

[deicruxified]

hahahaha yeah! my problem... not only intj's but most of N... my prof said that N people tend to have a lot of ideas at the spur of the moment and we catch those ideas especially if seems really interesting. then i was relating what he said about my lifestyle... in my room for example, my table is a good example of "chaos theory". my table or my working place is messy (the only messy part of my room) BUT i know how the chaos goes so if if someone will be looking for a book n my work pile, they will be pissed off and will be searching all over the place to look for that certain book but if i will be searching for it, it would take just minutes (unless that person messed the whole room coz i'd FLIP if that person does).

hahaha the reason for the messy table are:

1. lot's of post it's - actually recycled scratch papers where there are still spaces for me to write on. i cut them to notepad size and clip em. if a thought comes, i jot it down and paste it on the wall and since it's scratch paper, people think it's trash.

2. pile of books or paper on the left side - ALWAYS on the left side. i put there whatever books i will be needing including the ones i haven't read before. when i'm done scanning the book, i put em on the right side. books and papers that of high importance on top while the others that are not that necessary (meaning chill out stuff like comic books, fantasy novels or any reading stuff or photos to break the "busy-ness"), i put them on the floor.

3. ballpens and pencils on the right side - ALWAYS on the right side. ink colors accepted on top of my table are purple, blue and black. then one mechanical pencil and the conventional wood that needs sharpening. of course good erasers also included.

4. laptop on the center - also has a lot of post it's

5. and a beany polar bear on top of the pile - so just i have a guardian to remind me to finish my work on time. before, i kept a pet fighting fish which i put on the top center of the table. i named him, "joey" and is my "avid listener" when i'm talking to myself lol.

it's chaos for many people who would be turning their heads on this side of my room but it has an order i don't want people "organizing" or "cleaning" because it's like messing my frame of thought. i do forget once in a while about some stuff i out on the table but i know it's always there.

[Natrushka]

I just read this (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.)and it made me think of this thread:

For INTJs, Introverted Sensing (Si) is where our "demon" resides. It's the domain of past experience; of history; of recorded sensory impressions in our memory. It's common for INTJs to have a distorted or vague sense of their own past. Sometimes it's colored with false memories of good times or bad times. When others hit us with tedious historial detail, it's usually a signal for us to glaze over or run screaming from the room! However, in order to further one's individuation, it's wise to pay heed to Si and develop it to a point where it can be utilized effectively.

Interesting because I have a horrible memory for things that happened in MY OWN past. Does anyone else identify with this?

[thegnat]

I don't remember much what happened in my past at all.

I remember significant events (ie family deaths). And a few memories here and there - tennis match scores, some family vacation memories, some things I did that I really enjoyed (ie riding horses at the family farm going through a rain cloud with my aunts and grnandpa), but overall not too much.

[rwyatt365]

I just read this (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.)and it made me think of this thread:

For INTJs, Introverted Sensing (Si) is where our "demon" resides. It's the domain of past experience; of history; of recorded sensory impressions in our memory. It's common for INTJs to have a distorted or vague sense of their own past. Sometimes it's colored with false memories of good times or bad times. When others hit us with tedious historial detail, it's usually a signal for us to glaze over or run screaming from the room! However, in order to further one's individuation, it's wise to pay heed to Si and develop it to a point where it can be utilized effectively.

Interesting because I have a horrible memory for things that happened in MY OWN past. *Does anyone else identify with this?
When it comes to events, or personal history, I remember overall impressions of things not specific things. Same with conversations - I can't remember exaactly what was said but I can remember any concepts that were discussed, or a conclusion that was reached. It's like my mind filters out the unnecessary "stuff" and gets down to the "bottom line".

I also remember things by association or proximity. If you ask me what album my favorite song of a particular artist was on I would answer, "The red one with the black border". I couldn't tell you the name of the album, and I probably couldn't tell you the name of the song. But (in the days of LP's) I could tell you that, "It's the third song on Side 2". I can't remember my home phone number, but I remember the pattern that it forms on the keypad (so to tell someone what my number is I have to visualize it first).

So...unlike most other people, I can't remember exactly everything I was doing when JFK was assassinated but I can remeber that a lot of people were crying and I didn't know why. I'd be a lousy source for historical information.

[thegnat]

I go by association/proximity too!

I remember an instance when I was playing a video game when I was younger. My parents were watching law and order and I was hearing it for some reason at a specific time/level in the game.

When the re-run of that episode came around and that particular spot of the episode - I remembered exactly where I was in the video game.

I'm very vague though in memory of the past. I get a lot of "impressions" of what happened.

[Natrushka]

I've read that NTs think of time in terms of intervals and intersections. This has always been the case for me; it was another of those 'ah-ha' moments when I read the description. If someone asks me something about 1989 I have to think back and remember 'where did I live in 1989' or 'what music was in my walkman in 1989'. A lot of my life is broken up by 'where I lived' (Air Force Brat).




I also remember things by association or proximity. If you ask me what album my favorite song of a particular artist was on I would answer, "The red one with the black border". I couldn't tell you the name of the album, and I probably couldn't tell you the name of the song. But (in the days of LP's) I could tell you that, "It's the third song on Side 2". I can't remember my home phone number, but I remember the pattern that it forms on the keypad (so to tell someone what my number is I have to visualize it first).


<snort> Can you imagine an INTJ trying to describe a vehicle of interest to an ISTJ?

Me: It was a truck.
SJ: Was is a Ford? An import? Full cab?
Me: It was red. It wasn't big like so-and-so's truck. But it wasn't small like the one you had when we lived in town.
SJ: <throwing hands up in frustration> You can't tell the cops it was a not-small, not-big, red truck.
Me: Can I tell them the licence plate was 3MV-370? (It helps when you know your limitations and memorize the important stuff)

Turned out it was a Dodge Dakota - not big, not small. And it was red.

[rwyatt365]

<snort> Can you imagine an INTJ trying to describe a vehicle of interest to an ISTJ?

Me: It was a truck.
SJ: *Was is a Ford? An import? Full cab?
Me: It was red. *It wasn't big like so-and-so's truck. *But it wasn't small like the one you had when we lived in town.
SJ: <throwing hands up in frustration> You can't tell the cops it was a not-small, not-big, red truck.
Me: Can I tell them the licence plate was 3MV-370? (It helps when you know your limitations and memorize the important stuff)

Turned out it was a Dodge Dakota - not big, not small. *And it was red.
Now, my response in that scenario would have been;
Me: It was a late-model, 04 or 05, red Dodge Dakota...
SJ: What was the plate number?
Me: I don't know, it had lots of 3's in it, and for some reason I remember that 7+3=10. Does that help?

I used to be able to tell the year that the old-school VW bug was by the shape of the front and rear windows, the engine cover and the tail lights. Car-geek, remeber?

[Natrushka]

Yeah, Jness. We remember what's important to us - what matters.

You car geek.
Me touch of Asperger's. I remember numbers / dates.

[FatalException]

I forget absolutely everything. The only thing I never forget about are dates. I misplace everything, my room is a MESS. BUT! I know where everything is, until one day I come home, and an object is moved, then everything becomes misplaced in my mind, even if some things werent touched, i have to find them all over again, and remember the location on the floor, or under the bed, or stashed in a drawer. I never forget names or faces

[Tarrick]

All I have to say is that I'm working on catching those faeries.

[deicruxified]

All I have to say is that I'm working on catching those faeries.
dragons... DRAGONS!!

[StJimmy]

i'm generally absent minded about random stuff. pretty good with remembering faces but pretty bad at remembering names. i've noticed this thing at work where i intentionally don't use new people's names so it takes me longer to learn them. i'll call them "hey... uhh. yeah, you" for a month.

[mind_wander]

i'm generally absent minded about random stuff. *pretty good with remembering faces but pretty bad at remembering names. *i've noticed this thing at work where i intentionally don't use new people's names so it takes me longer to learn them. *i'll call them "hey... uhh. *yeah, you" for a month.
me 2, this is my problem too.

[Chainsaw Dundee]

I voted for option 3. What the hell do those bastards want with me?

*looks over shoulder*

*puts on tinfoil hat*

[Nomad]

Terrible about remembering numbers of any type.
Terrible about faces to names

Difficulty remembering my childhood

Can't remember the names of the guys I served with in the Army. Lived with most of em for two years or more.

I know where everything I own is. I very rarely forget where things are and I rarely forget keys and such.

I think I have a good memory and mental capacity for things I use Once I stop using it, it slips away.

The trick is to make the inter-dimensional faeries acknowledge your superiority and to make them work for you. [smiley=crowngrin.gif]

-Nomad

[Epicurus]

I remember pretty much everything that Im doing or thinking of a lot, but the rest I usually forget, so I think its true. When I write I sometimes forget to write half of the sentence but I think I did write it.

[Epicurus]

I remember pretty much everything that Im doing or thinking of a lot, but the rest I usually forget, so I think its true. When I write I sometimes forget to write half of the sentence but I think I did write it.Enlish grammar is another one of those things wich I don't use so much, and forget. * :-/

[qwerty]

I like to think I can remember quite well. Names, programming stuff, work stuff(some 120 camera's.positions and numbers)

[TruorTupnm]

Forgetfulness: Fact. Also: Seems to be a part of the I. N. T. J. I remember the basic area where I probably put stuff, but usually all kinds of great reasons for why I would have put it there. I don't remember names or numbers unless I have definitely decided to, after which I will never forget them. Yay for keeping pieces of paper as well as writing implements on hand! I remember pretty much every face but only the names of the ones that mattered. Childhood: Fuzzy yet complete. Trivia: Rarely forgetten, which is sometimes annoying. I wish that I could remember people's names, since that would be plenty useful, but I usually end up saying, "Hey, lady (or dude)! C'mere!"

[INTJoe]

I have an outstanding long-term memory and a horrible short-term memory.
Seriously if my gf asks me to take out the garbage, I'll forget. But I can recall exact conversations her and I had years ago.

What's funny is I always listen to people talking and I hear their request, but I'll tell myself I'll do it in a few minutes, and by then it's out of my head. lol.

Something a bit off-topic that happens to me a LOT is when my mother or girlfriend is talking to me, I guess it will appear as though I'm not listening when I am. They'll stop talking and declare "you aren't listening to me." At which point I'll get upset "Yes I AM!" and I will say back to them like the last 2 or 3 sentences, verbatim. Every time. lol. And every time they are momentarilly stunned "Oh...well...so anyway...yeah..."

Also often times I'll be looking down or messing with my fingernails or something when people are talking and they think I'm not listening. Uggghhhh. Pay attention to your damn self people!!!

Cliff notes: I listen and hear everything, but will forget stuff in the short-term.

[cielo market]

I choose not to remember unimportant things. This tends to insult (nameless) casual acquaintances. *:P

[BloozeGit]

Memory with regard to location of personal items works best for me when the surrounding is cluttered. I'm more likely to remember where a certain object is on my desk when its full of stuff, the contents of which changes constantly as opposed to a clean and neat room which doesn't change much.

Then again there are times when I'm holding something in my hand, get distracted by something else and suddenly its gone, sparking a massive manhunt for said object. Most of the time I don't even remember putting it down.

Oh and my folks gave up on getting me to tidy up my place quite a long time ago ;D

[imoutofhere]

OK, ladies and gentlemen!

I am introducing this thread to settle an argument with my wife. Is forgetfulness personality-based (i.e. a trait of INTJ), or am I just getting old?


I'm only 21 and my memory can be pretty bad. First big sign would have been that it was impossible for me to do great in public jr. high Social Studies tests, as they focused too incredibly much on the student's memorization of the dates and names.

[rwyatt365]

Memory with regard to location of personal items works best for me when the surrounding is cluttered. I'm more likely to remember where a certain object is on my desk when its full of stuff, the contents of which changes constantly as opposed to a clean and neat room which doesn't change much.

Then again there are times when I'm holding something in my hand, get distracted by something else and suddenly its gone, sparking a massive manhunt for said object. Most of the time I don't even remember putting it down.

Oh and my folks gave up on getting me to tidy up my place quite a long time ago *;D
...and that's where the "evil fairy" theory comes into play!

[Kfbr]

My office has so many damned sticky notes because I can't ever remember small details. I somehow learn by osmosis when it comes to my classes though, don't really need to study but god help me I can't remember a lunch meeting with someone.

[Ian]

I tend only to remember things that are important to me - in other words, not much so I don't even try now.

Names, dates, events..... if they are important enough to need again, I write them down, then promptly forget where I've writtten them.

Just to annoy my other half when socks, books, cars etc go missing, I often say that I cannot remember the last time I forgot something. :suspicious:

(Yes, ok - I admit it: I lost a car once - parked in Edinburgh, couldn't find it again for hours. Walked for miles that day. Oddly, there were two of us who could have remembered, but I was the one that lost the car because I parked it up :thinking: )

BTW, why is it you can remember the lyrics to a song you haven't heard for years? Always bothered me, that one.

[Kfbr]

I think it's because INTJ's are ridiculously awesome when it comes to patterns. That's all music is. A beat, a chorus, a melody that repeats over and over and we learn all the words to the pattern. At least that's what I think..

[Ryokurin]

My memory is freaking annoying. I used to catch hell for it growing up, as I was known for my memory for events or tasks, but I always did stupid things like forget homework (leave it somewhere) forget to bring something and so forth. They probably thought I was doing it on purpose. I could remember stuff like we need milk or stop here before we go home because it was a task dealing with what we were doing at the moment. I just learned to make sure I put my homework in a central spot and to check it before I leave, and to this day if I need to take something somewhere I leave it by the door or in plain sight to make me remember it.

I'm worst with names. I can think of your name when I'm thinking about you, but let someone ask me what so and so's name is and I'll go blank. I can't remember names of people I've just met to save my life too. The only exception is if something notable was going on, like they were very attractive, or some major event, and I do mean major like a fire, not like I met you at a party. Otherwise 10 minutes after meeting you I won't remember your name.