Concept · Cognitive Bias: Memory biases and distortions
Gist memory error
Origin: Reyna & Brainerd, 1995
Biological Parallel
Squirrels remember general cache locations (gist) better than specific coordinates (details)—storing themes is metabolically cheaper than storing specifics, and themes predict future patterns better. The brain extracts core meaning and discards surface details because gist captures transferable patterns while specifics rarely recur identically. Gist errors reveal memory's purpose: predict the future using the past's pattern, not replay the past verbatim.