Tanishka - Week #14 - The Memory of Our Furry Friends
While I was focusing on the many intricacies of the human memory, I thought, how interesting would it be to go beyond our species, and into the minds of animals? Our pet dog, or the little squirrel with a bushy tail hopping across the street and up a tree, what do they remember? Do they remember as much as we do, and how do they store them? Different creatures store their memories differently across species, from a dog recalling its memory for a command, to a baby elephant not knowing what their trunk is for, tripping over it themselves when they are young.
Research that has spearheaded this idea takes on the role of episodic memory, the basis that animals use a storage system of recollection, in a specific time, place, or stimulus that calls back a previous experience or memory. That is what many animals rely on; imagine when you recall a memory from a specific event, that is almost the only memory dogs or cats are able to recall ever!
Dogs, for example, have an emphasis on episodic memory for their daily lives. By recalling and responding to verbal commands, as stated in the article “Do Dogs Have Memories? How Their Mind Works,” they directly associate these commands with certain behaviors. Positivity also helps greatly in this sense, with positive behaviors being correlated towards a repetitive nature in learning commands.
Tricks and commands are stored in the long term memory for dogs, and are recalled upon from either a positive or negative stimulus. Positive stimuli and memories are easier for dogs to recall, and just like humans, the memory retention of these pups decreases with age.
For all those dog lovers out there, knowing the complex nature behind the canine psyche might help you appreciate them more, and to definitely spend more time with them and make memories that they will store in their long term memory forever. So, when your dog seems to smile when you come home, or wag their tail in excitement when they see your face, now that it isn’t just plain recognition, it’s a sign that they will remember you for decades to come.
Hi Tanishka! Reading your blog this week was so heartwarming. It has always been one of my wishes to know exactly what Riley is thinking. I wish I could understand his obsession with chasing squirrels and why sitting in the sunshine is his favorite past time or if he’s secretly judging me for watching Netflix instead of spending time with him. All of the information you shared about the ways in which dogs store memory makes so much sense now! When we were training Riley for basic commands like “sit, down, paw, and high-five,” we would not only reward him with a treat, but excited praise as well. It makes me smile to think that everytime he obeys a command, he remembers the cuddles and excitement. I remember Riley was so happy to see my sister and I come home one day that he sprained his tail from wagging his tail so hard. Learning about the way dogs store memory honestly just makes me feel more love and affection for them! Do you have a dog as well? Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHey Tanishka, your blog was so fun to read! The idea you introduced about episodic memory is very interesting. I did not previously know that animals use a storage system of recollection or a stimulus to recall a previous memory or experience. It is actually very heartwarming learning about that. It makes me happy to know that my cat Lemon’s memories are likely a collage of all the happy times, cuddles, and snuggles he has had with me. I don’t have a dog, but did very much enjoy learning about how dogs associate verbal commands with certain behaviors. It is adorable that a dog could associate orders with sweet memories with their owners. While I’m sure cats also have episodic memory, I doubt if their memory works similar to a dog’s memory. Cats do not take commands. You can’t exactly train them to do a certain thing, as they are independent creatures. So, I would love to look more into the specifics of cat memory. Your blog is so well written. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHi Tanishka. I love the concept of this blog! Delving into the consciousness and intellectual depth of animals is always fascinating for me, and I also like blogs about animals in general. While I may have thought about how animals remember things in the past, I do take into consideration the near impossibility of it. And this does not just have to do with intelligence. Wild animals constantly have to live in fight or flight mode, and they remember things differently than us. They do not have time to reflect upon or lament on their actions, they are constantly on the move. This does not mean that they do not have sad memories, however, it is just that in the pursuit of survival, they must have tons of negative memories which probably partially numbs them to it. There are tribes of people that quickly bury their dead and then move on as they constantly have to move. When interviewed, they casually say that if someone dies they just need to move forward after getting rid of them, which makes sense for survival. So this way of remembering and thinking is not limited to wild animals. In the end, I am not an expert on animals, and so this is as far as I can assume. But what I do understand is that the way I live my life is so different from theirs, that I could not comprehend their life unless I was fighting for my survival, too.
ReplyDelete