This excellent article written by John Kehayias brings us closer to learning how our memories can really work for us. To remember something we must be compelled and a strong sense of nostalgia is nothing if not compelling.
“Some research has explored how games affect our memory, and I don’t just mean those “memory” or “brain” games, which often aren’t very compelling and might not help your memory either. However, video games more broadly could improve your memory, and they generally affect your brain in different ways, from coordination to empathy. The power of nostalgia and video games is very much at the heart of the retro movement. There is an urge to relive those experiences, to feel connected to the past, to combat loneliness, to help find meaning in life. In short, to experience the benefits of nostalgia.”
While some have viewed nostalgia as having little to no value in the past, a growing body of research is revealing it to be an important psychological tool that helps people cope with life’s stressors, build strong relationships, find and maintain meaning in life, and become more creative and inspired. For me, all it takes is a few minutes of Area 51 or 1943 to kick off a nostalgia-fueled storm of new ideas and concepts – watch for it the next time you take a digital walk down memory lane.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/games-dont-just-let-you-escape-they-also-help-you-remember/
