#Memories

Scientists have uncovered a powerful illusion in how we remember the timing of repeated events, showing that the more often something is repeated, the further in the past its first occurrence feels—even when that’s not actually the case. This phenomenon, documented in a recent study published in Psychological Science, may have far-reaching repercussions for how we piece together our personal memories, judge news events, and even recall everyday experiences—significant insights for a society like Thailand’s, where repetition in news, advertising, and education is common.

A compelling new study shows that repetition can make the first appearance of an event feel older in our memory. Published in Psychological Science, the research finds that repeated exposure shifts our sense of when something first occurred, even if the event is recent. For Thai readers, the finding sheds light on how we interpret news, education, and daily life.

Researchers led by a senior assistant professor conducted six controlled experiments with hundreds of adults. Participants viewed repeated and non-repeated images and then estimated when the first appearance occurred. Across all designs, people remembered the first appearance of a repeated image as farther in the past than an equally old non-repeated image. The more times an image appeared, the stronger the impression of an earlier origin. The bias remained even when participants were warned, indicating a robust effect. Data suggest repetition can shift timing judgments by up to a quarter of the elapsed time.