Fun fact: Learning underwater

Scuba dive

Scuba diveMemory is a funny thing. Sometimes you rack your brain trying to remember something very, very important, but other times you remember things with great detail – even when it’s not very important at all.

But did you know that you may be able to remember more if you try to recall information in the same context in which you learnt it in?

In one classic study1, researchers asked people to learn information underwater while scuba diving. They were then given a memory test, either on land or underwater. People who were tested underwater remembered more than people who were tested on land!

The next time you are struggling to remember something, why not try going back to the room where you heard it – who knows, maybe you’ll remember!

1Godden, D. R, & Baddeley, A. D. Context-dependent memory in two natural environments: On land and underwater. British Journal of Psychology.