Making and Adjusting Connections in Long Term Memory

When a learner has information in long-term memory, the information becomes knowledge as the connections (memory traces) are multiplied and elaborated.

Knowledge becomes embedded in long-term memory, connecting it to knowledge that is already there, and the knowledge becomes understanding. Understanding is achieved as memory traces form a network of connections putting it into a context that is related to other knowledge that is already stored there. New knowledge overlays and builds on what is already there.

This is an efficient and brilliant way to learn. Memory traces that are already there can be slightly modified with the new information and a more accurate internal representation of reality is the result. Keep in mind that making an internal representation of reality is the brain’s goal and so the more precise that representation is, the more successful we are as organisms.

However, if the knowledge that is already there is inaccurate, the new knowledge is still an overlay, and the inaccuracies will still exist. New knowledge will only ever be as accurate a representation of reality as the foundation of knowledge that it is tied to.

Confirmation bias is the bias that we see when individuals choose to consume information that supports their current worldview. This is because the new knowledge fits easily with the structure of the knowledge that is already there. The effort to encode information that fits well onto the existing knowledge with strong memory traces is far lower than the effort needed to force fit new knowledge that doesn’t fit well. When confirmation bias is enacted, knowledge already there is easily available and the new information being transformed onto that pre-existing knowledge foundation easily fits.

The real challenge with new knowledge is that when it does not fit well with an internal representation of reality, what do you do with it? You have three choices: 1) ignore the information and make no effort to incorporate it into your pre-existing knowledge base, 2) restructure your current representation of reality in order to comfortably incorporate the new knowledge, or 3) distort the new knowledge so that it will fit without having to change your knowledge foundation.

By far, the easiest option is to ignore information that does not align itself with your current internal reality. A much more fun way of dealing with poor fitting knowledge is to distort it so it will fit – just listen to your favorite conspiracy theorist. By far, the most difficult thing to do is to tear apart your internal reality in order to fully incorporate new information and make it a part of a transformed internal representation of reality. The restructuring process takes both time and energy. The restructuring process takes work.

This restructuring process represents the ability to self-correct. A painful process that requires the admission that some of your internal representations of reality were wrong. It is not only difficult to admit that you are wrong to others, but also to admit it to yourself. As a result, people hold onto their internal representations in a dogmatic fashion that makes long-held beliefs and ways of viewing the world very difficult to change. One of the attractions of conspiracy theories.

However, when a person engages in a formal learning process at any age, they are of a mindset that means that their internal representation of reality is somewhat fluid and open to restructuring. Children are usually learning concrete principles and knowledge for which they have little or no previous representation. That is one of the reasons children learn so well. It is as though they are a sponge, soaking up everything as they build an initial representation that merges with their environmental experiences to define who and what they are. As we age, our internal reality becomes more brittle and difficult to restructure. The ability to self-correct is still there, but the willingness to engage in it is lessened because of the difficulty of the challenge.

As a society we have, in many ways, pilloried the idea of fundamentally changing our understanding. Wishy-washy, vacillating, dithering, indecisive, uncertain, hesitant – not flattering terms with which to be labeled. As a result, changing our understanding is not a popular choice of action.

The adoption of a mindset that is always open to evidence and self-correction is a core attribute of critical thinking. Unfortunately, because of the difficulty of changing our internal representation of reality, critical thinking within our society is in dangerously short supply. Finding something that bolsters your already solidly held (and accurate) representation of reality is the way we comfortably survive in this complex world.