How Memory Research Can Affect Behavior Changes

Understanding Fear Response in Memory Research

While visiting a zoo, five-month-old Simba is frightened by a roaring lion and starts to cry. By the time Simba is one year old, he appears to have forgotten this event and actually enjoys movies with lions. Based on memory research, how might you get Simba to exhibit the original fear response?

Memory research suggests that fear responses can be influenced by various factors, such as exposure to particular stimuli or experiences at a young age. In the case of Simba, his original fear of lions as a five-month-old may have been associated with the roaring lion he encountered at the zoo. However, over time and with new experiences, Simba's memory of this event may have faded, leading to a decrease in his fear response towards lions.

One way to potentially reinstate the original fear response in Simba could be through a process called fear conditioning. By exposing Simba to the same or similar stimulus that initially caused fear (e.g. a roaring lion), paired with an aversive experience or negative consequence, it may be possible to re-associate the fear response with lions in his memory.

Overall, memory research highlights the complex nature of behavior changes and the importance of understanding how memories impact our responses to certain stimuli.