What memory do you have ofthe Beatles? This is the question posed by British psychologist Catriona Morrison, from the University of Leeds, in amacroencuesta online. Analyzing the first 3,000 responses, coming from subjects between the ages of 17 and 87 and residents of 69 different countries, it leaves no room for doubt: the four musicians arerecorded in memoryof millions of people. The details of the study have been presented at the Science Festival organized by theBritish Assotiation for the Advancement of the Science, which is being held these days in Liverpool, the birthplace of the British group.
“We have known for a long time that music can help them remember episodes of our life, but this is the first time we have demonstrated it with real data,” says Morrison, who keeps the survey active on the Magical Memory Tour website.
According to the researcher, at the beginning of adolescence we choose our musical preferences, but “from14 yearsmost people already have their minds made up, and it is at that timewhen music leaves a stronger imprint on usIn fact, in most of the memories associated with the songs of the Beatles, the respondents are able to evoke sounds, clear images and even smells. The song that awakens the most memories isShe Loves You, followed byI Want to Hold Your Hand.
Morrison and his colleagues are convinced that by understanding how ourautobiographical memorywe will be better able to cope with many of thediseases that impair our ability to remember. “More rigorous research is needed on the link between music and memory,” they conclude.
