Museum trip & Exploring memory: Objects

Today an investigation into objects and memory was conducted via an on-site trip to the V&A and Natural History Museum. A museum is a place which in a way stores physical representations of memories, which is why museum were chosen as site of interest.

The field of objects within memory has emerged within memory and interests me, but i wanted to take a step away from in and do some more general reading to understand memory. Memory, however, is such a broad subject that a focus at this stage may help to develop the thought and design process.

I am currently reading cognitive psychology and memory in the real world, and it has created some invaluable insights.

Memory and the Real World

'Einstein and McDaniel (1990) have distinguished between two kinds of prospective memory on the basis of cues that trigger retrieval. Time-prospective memory requires performance either at a specific time or after some period of time has elapsed. In event-based retrospective memory this action is cued by an object, person or event (e.g. putting on your coat reminds you to take it to the cleaners).

Insight: Not only can objects hold memory in their own right, but they can also be reference points to other memories.

Our perception and understanding of objects relies heavily on past knowledge of similar items, any expertise in related history as well as what we can deduce from its physical properties and circumstantial evidence. When presented with this exhibit from the natural history museum, i used my retrospective memory to work out if I'd seen anything previously that was similar, and to see if i knew anything about the period that was relevant. It turned out that they were utensils from a dressing room, and formed part of something called 'toilet service'. Knowing this, if i every come across anything similar i will reference this memory in my formulation for new judgements.

Memory in objects:

Physical object memory: foam. Shape memory materials (materials hat 'remember' their original shapes, and return to the shape even after manipulation.

The examples below are from the v&a (11/11/2011)

1. Casting of a sculpture

2. This was sculpted from foam, but is slightly different in that it has had other materials applied over the top to keep it in it specific shape.

These two objects got me thinking about the memory that objects hold about whatever created them.

 

Objects that hold memories about whatever created them:

Bullets: Ballistic fingerprinting.

Scientists are able to match bullet casings (in theory) to the exact gun that fired them due to tiny discrepancies between every gun ever made.

Deduction and 'cold' reading is also of interest. Sherlock Holmes the fictional character was able to deduce huge amounts of information about a person from piecing together clues from their attire.


The natural history museum was filled with examples of object memory, and attempted to create positive associations that children would remember through interactive exhibitions.

Students also utilised their natural deductive ability to make judgements about the brand new objects that they were coming into contact with. There was a sensor controlled shaking earthquake simulator that would not go off without having enough people in it (or until the old users of the space left to make room for new ones). The children immediately deduced that they needed more people to get this fascinating new object to work!




Areas of interest:

Muscle memory  - the ability to use complicated objects despite a time gulf.

The bag test: What can be learnt about people from their belongings. What assumptions to people make about others from their possessions.