Concept · Cognitive Bias: Memory biases and distortions
Persistence
Origin: Schacter, 1999/2001
Biological Parallel
Mammals that survive predator attacks retain vivid, intrusive memories of the threat—rats exposed to predator odor show persistent stress responses months later. Traumatic memories resist normal decay because they signal rare, high-stakes pattern breaks requiring permanent behavioral adjustment. Persistence is adaptive hypervigilance: the brain tags certain experiences as 'never forget' because the cost of repetition is death.