Have you ever walked into a room only to forget why you went there in the first place? If so, you're not alone, and more importantly, you're not losing your marbles. This phenomenon, often referred to as the "doorway effect," is well-documented in psychological research and relates to how our brain processes and stores memories.
When you pass through a doorway, your brain experiences what's called an "event boundary." This event boundary essentially compartmentalises the experiences from one room, or one "episode," into a distinct memory segment. When you enter the new room, your brain starts fresh, preparing itself for the next task or experience. This can make it challenging to recall what you were thinking about just moments before.
The research behind this is quite fascinating. Studies conducted by Gabriel Radvansky and his team at the University of Notre Dame demonstrated that memory performance diminishes after walking through a doorway. Their experiments showed that participants were more likely to forget information or tasks after crossing a threshold compared to simply walking the same distance within a room. This effect has been replicated in both virtual and real-world settings, underscoring its reliability.
So, how can this understanding of the doorway effect be useful to us as Pilates teachers? The key lies in using these natural memory resets to our advantage. For instance, as you move from one segment of your class to another, you can utilise the concept of event boundaries by creating deliberate, positive transitions. Whether it’s moving from the preparation section of a class to the Reformer or shifting from one exercise to the next, consider incorporating a brief pause, a positive affirmation, or even a simple mental reset. This can help both you and your clients compartmentalise and retain the lessons or cues from each section more effectively.
Moreover, this knowledge can be applied to help clients who might struggle with focus or memory during their sessions. Encourage them to use the act of moving from one exercise to another as a mental checkpoint, where they consciously reset and prepare for the next challenge. This can enhance their concentration and improve the overall quality of their practice.
Remember, the doorway effect is not a sign of cognitive decline but rather a normal function of how our brain organises and retrieves information. By acknowledging this, we can harness it to create more structured and mindful Pilates sessions, benefiting both our teaching and our clients' experiences.
So next time you find yourself in a new room wondering why you went there, take a moment to reset, breathe, and perhaps think of a positive affirmation. It’s all part of the fascinating way our minds work!
References:
Radvansky, G. A., Krawietz, S. A., & Tamplin, A. K. (2011). Walking through doorways causes forgetting: Further explorations. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.
University of Notre Dame News. (2011). Walking through doorways causes forgetting, new research shows.
ScienceABC. (n.d.). The Doorway Effect: Why Walking Through Rooms Triggers Forgetting?
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