Working & Episodic Memory
What is working memory?
Working memory is a cognitive system that temporarily holds and manipulates information needed for complex tasks like learning, reasoning, and comprehension. It allows us to keep track of information for short periods. Working memory involves both
Cognitive flexibility refers to the mental ability to switch between thinking about different concepts. It involves adapting your thinking and behaviour in response to changing circumstances or new information. Here are some key aspects:
- Problem Solving
- Adaptability
- Perspective Taking
- Learning
Cognitive flexibility is an essential skill for effective functioning in daily life, work, and social interactions.
How does solving a Jigsaw puzzle help in strengthening working memory?
Solving a jigsaw puzzle involves using working memory as se it helps the puzzler to hold and manipulate pieces of information over short periods. Here’s how working memory is enhanced during the process:
- Piece Location and Characteristics: While searching for a specific piece, the puzzler needs to remember details about the piece they are looking for (like its colour, shape, or edge patterns) and also where you’ve already checked. This requires keeping multiple pieces of information in mind.
- Comparing Pieces: As the puzzler examines puzzle pieces, working memory helps them to compare the piece by holding to the image in the puzzle, as well as to other pieces. The puzzler mentally holds on to different visual features and keeps them in mind while matching.
- Strategy and Planning: Jigsaw puzzles often require strategizing, such as starting with corner or edge pieces. Working memory helps the puzzler maintain the plan and adjust in accordance to the progress.
- Spatial Relationships: As the puzzler fits the pieces together, they are constantly visualizing how pieces might fit into the overall puzzle. This involves holding mental images of the incomplete puzzle, trying different pieces, and remembering their relative positions.
By consistently engaging with these tasks, the working memory of the puzzler is activated and exercised, which can help improve its capacity and efficiency over time.
What is episodic memory?
Episodic memory is a type of long-term memory that involves the recollection of specific events, experiences, or episodes from one's past. It is also known as the long-term memory.
How does solving a jigsaw puzzle enhances the episodic/long term memory?
Solving a jigsaw puzzle can enhance episodic memory for several reasons:
- Engaging Cognitive Processes: When one works on solving a jigsaw puzzle, the brain is actively engaged in problem-solving, visual-spatial recognition, and attention. These cognitive processes can strengthen memory retention and recall, particularly of the experience of solving the puzzle.
- Formation of New Memories: The act of solving the puzzle may create a distinct, memorable episode in the puzzler’s life. For example, they might remember how long it took, who they solved it with, or how they felt when they completed it. These elements are tied to episodic memory, which stores these types of personal experiences.
- Contextual Cues: Each piece of the puzzle can serve as a contextual cue, helping to link specific memories or events (such as where you found a certain piece or a specific challenge you overcame). The physical and visual stimuli provided by the puzzle can aid in forming a richer, more detailed episodic memory.
- Enhanced Recall through Visualization: Jigsaw puzzles require the puzzle to visualize how pieces fit together, which activates regions of the brain associated with memory, particularly episodic memory. This mental visualization can reinforce the connections between the current activity (puzzle solving) and stored memories.
- Storage in memory: While the puzzler is on a big size puzzle which usually takes multiple sittings, they store the data in their brain, which is retrieved in subsequent sitting. This fuels the centres of the brain responsible for storing and strengthens the neural pathway that is responsible for retrieving the data.
Solving a jigsaw puzzle engages multiple cognitive processes, which can enhance the coding and retrieval of episodic memories related to the puzzle-solving experience.