The Goldfish Memory Study

The Goldfish Memory Study investigated how long people can accurately recall information after a brief distraction. Participants were shown details, then interrupted with unrelated tasks, and later asked to remember the original information. Results indicated that short-term memory duration varies but often lasts only a few seconds to a minute without rehearsal. The study highlights how easily memories can fade or be replaced when our attention shifts, emphasizing the importance of active reinforcement for retaining information. This research helps explain why we sometimes forget details quickly if we aren’t mindful or don’t actively retain them.