Spreading Activation Theory

Spreading Activation Theory suggests that our brain organizes knowledge as a network of related concepts. When you think about a particular idea or word, activation spreads from that node to connected nodes, making related thoughts easier to access. For example, thinking of "cat" might automatically bring up related concepts like "fur," "meow," or "pet." The more closely linked the ideas, the faster and more strongly activation spreads. This process helps us quickly retrieve information and see connections between related concepts, reflecting how our memory and understanding are interconnected.