Sensory memory involves the interaction of senses and memory, with smell being particularly evocative. It is also used in acting to fully inhabit a character. Affective memory is a controversial technique, with some believing it to be a crutch.
The term “sensory memory” is used in two very different ways. First, it involves the interaction of the senses and memory, and how certain sensory stimuli can trigger memories. People may also evoke the concept of sensory memory in the context of an acting technique known as affective memory, in which actors attempt to use their senses to plug into their characters’ mindsets.
Researchers working with memory have learned that the five senses can play a very significant role in the process of creating, storing and retrieving memories. Smell in particular is very evocative, as the olfactory bulb sits right next to the part of the brain that handles memory storage, so people tend to form strong links between smells and particular memories. Many people have strong associations with a huge variety of smells, ranging from ‘my grandmother’s house’ to ‘that really good meal’, and smell is sometimes used in marketing to recall such memories and encourage people to buy things. .
The senses of touch, hearing, vision, and taste may also play a role in sensory memory, although these senses are not directly involved like smell. If you close your eyes for a moment, you may be able to visualize the interior of your kitchen, remember what it feels like to pet an animal, conjure up the flavor of a fruit, or recall a particular chord in a favorite song. In these cases, the sensational experience is stored in the mind along with the memory of the event.
In the realm of acting theory, people use “sensory memory” to talk about memories that can be used to more fully inhabit a character on stage. For example, when an actor wants to get into the mood for a sad scene, he might use sensory memory to reconstruct a funeral or other sad event. Rather than just acting sad, the actor is momentarily sad as he recalls the sound of rain on umbrellas, the feel of a lump of earth, and the smell of the lilies around the grave.
Affective memory is a controversial technique. Several acting techniques and methods rely on sensory memory to enhance acting skills and advocates of these drama schools argue that their acting seems more real and believable when they take advantage of sensory memory. Other people believe the concept is dubious to say the least, and that people tend to use it as a crutch on stage, rather than honing their skills in other ways.
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