How does forgetting help people?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The answer should include the following elements:

Memory failure is essential to remembering important information. The ability to forget inconsequential details about experiences, people, and objects helps us avoid being burdened and distracted by trivial stores of meaningless data. Forgetting helps keep unwanted and unnecessary information from interfering with retrieving information that is wanted and necessary. Forgetting also permits people to form general impressions and recollections. For example, the reason our friends consistently look familiar to us is because we are able to forget their clothing, facial blemishes, and other transient features that change from one occasion to the next. Instead, their memories are based on a summary of various critical features-a far more economical use of memory capabilities. Finally, forgetting provides a practical educational benefit: When a person has forgotten something and then is forced to relearn it, the person is more likely to remember it better in the future.