The Fascinating Psychology and Mathematics Behind Collecting and Memory

The Fascinating Psychology and Mathematics Behind Collecting and Memory

Introduction:
Collecting is a common human behavior that can be motivated by various factors such as love, anxiety, or desire. It is estimated that about a third of people in the UK collect something. Additionally, the endowment effect, which describes our tendency to value things more once we own them, plays a significant role in our inclination towards collecting. However, there are deeper psychoanalytical and existential reasons behind this behavior. Furthermore, our fascination with memory, both individual and collective, ties closely with the act of collecting. In this article, we will explore the psychology and mathematics behind collecting and memory, shedding light on the intriguing connections between these two aspects of human experience.

The Psychological Aspects of Collecting:
One psychoanalytical explanation for collecting suggests that unloved children may learn to seek comfort in accumulating belongings. By surrounding themselves with objects, they create a sense of security and identity. The collection becomes an extension of their identity, providing a source of solace and continuity even when they are no longer present. This insight highlights the emotional significance that collecting holds for individuals.

The Mathematics of Memory and Interest:
Renowned neuroscientist David Eagleman proposes a thought-provoking concept: a person only truly dies when they are forgotten. While this notion may seem abstract, there is evidence to support it. Continued and shared attention to people and events plays a crucial role in shaping identity and influencing the structures and priorities of society. A recent study analyzing online views, citations, and play counts of various cultural artifacts revealed that collective memory follows a mathematical pattern of decay.

The Decay of Collective Memory:
The study examined online views of Wikipedia profiles of sports stars, citations of physics papers and patents, as well as play counts of songs and film trailers. The analysis revealed that the decay of collective memory can be modeled using a biexponential function, characterized by two distinct phases. The initial decline in attention is steep and driven by communicative memory, which represents the direct transfer of information through word-of-mouth. The subsequent decline, however, exhibits a much gentler slope and relies more on cultural memory, which is sustained by the physical recording and accessibility of information.

The Influence of Recording and Accessibility:
The sharp initial decline in attention is primarily attributed to the decrease in word-of-mouth transmission. As time progresses, cultural memory takes over, and the decline becomes more gradual. This shift can be attributed to the influence of recording and accessibility. With the advent of technology, information becomes more readily available and searchable, thereby prolonging its lifespan in collective memory. The ability to access and retrieve recorded information plays a vital role in the preservation of cultural memory.