Charan Ranganath – författare

In the past 20 years, neuroimaging has provided us with a wealth of data regarding human memory. However, to what extent can neuroimaging constrain, support or falsify psychological theories of memory? To what degree is research on the biological bases of memory actually guided by psychological theory?In looking at the close interaction between neuroimaging research and psychological theories of human memory, this book presents a state-of-the-art exploration of imaging research on human memory, along with accounts of the significance of these findings with regard to fundamental psychological questions. The book starts with a summary of some of the conceptual problems we face in understanding neuroimaging data. It then looks at the four areas of human memory research that have been most intensively studied with modern brain imaging tools - Learning and consolidation, Working memory control processes and storage, Long-term memory representations, and Retrieval control processes. Throughout, the book shows how brain imaging methods, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG), can help us increase our knowledge of how human memory is organized, how memory representations are stored, consolidated and retrieved, and how access to memory contents is controlled. With all chapters written by leading researchers in the field, the book will be essential for all those interested in the psychology and neuroscience of memory.

THE UNFORGETTABLE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR'Popular science at its best: entertaining and thought-provoking.' FINANCIAL TIMES'You don't have to be a victim to your past and the way you used to think . . . A wonderful book.' DR RANGAN CHATTERJEE'A radically new and engaging explanation of how and why we remember.' MATTHEW WALKER'Life-changing.' SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEE---Memory is far more than an archive of the past. This groundbreaking book by a pioneering Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology, Dr Charan Ranganath, reveals the powerful role memory plays in nearly every aspect of our lives.Combining fascinating tales of the peculiarities of memory as well as cutting-edge science, Dr Ranganath shows the surprising ways our brains record the past and how we use that information to understand who we are in the present, and to imagine and guide our futures. Memory shapes how we experience the world, and it does that in often invisible, active and sometimes destructive ways. Dr Ranganath argues that we can use this knowledge to make better use of our flawed memories, whether in daily tasks like finding our keys or dealing with memory loss as we age. What's more, when we work with the brain's ability to learn and reinterpret past events, we can shed our biases, learn faster and heal after grief or trauma. This is a vital, accessible guide to understanding memory's quirks - and its power.

THE UNFORGETTABLE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA TIMES and TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR'Radically new and engaging.' MATTHEW WALKER'Not only will every reader remember better afterward, they'll also never forget this life-changing book.' SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEE'Ranganath turns much of what we think we know about memory on its head.' DANIEL J. LEVITIN'Just fabulous . . . You learn that you don't have to be a victim to your past and the way you used to think - you have agency because of the fact that the brain can change.' DR RANGAN CHATTERJEE---We talk about memory as a record of the past, but here's a surprising twist: we aren't supposed to remember everything. In fact, we're designed to forget.Over the course of twenty-five years, Charan Ranganath has studied the seemingly selective and unreliable nature of human memory to find that our brains haven't evolved to keep a comprehensive record of events, but to extract the information needed to guide our futures.Using fascinating case studies and testimonies, Why We Remember unveils the principles behind what and why we forget and shines new light on the silent, pervasive influence of memory on how we learn, heal and make decisions. By examining the role that attention, intention, imagination and emotion play in the storing of memories, it provides a vital user's guide to remembering what we hold most dear.