PH
Memory retrieval can happen without conscious intention.
Songs, smells, locations, dates, photographs, dreams, and even unrelated conversations can trigger memories of former partners.
The appearance of a memory doesn't automatically reveal a hidden desire to restart the relationship.
Human memory works through associations, so reminders can activate information simply because experiences were strongly connected.
This distinction matters because people sometimes interpret every unexpected thought about an ex as evidence they're “not over them.”
Sometimes a memory is just a memory being successfully triggered.
© Association for Psychological Science