- Dr Daphna Shohamy

Past Is Prologue: How memory shapes our decisions, actions and identities

By Dr Daphna Shohamy
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A fascinating new exploration of memories: how they’re formed, why they’re flawed, and what their real purpose is, from a world-leading scientist in the field

“Rather than thinking of memory as a hard drive on our computer, holding a firm record of past events in endless files, we should think of memory as a compass, a behaviour whisperer, serving up a general sense of what we have learned in a way that is most relevant to decisions we are facing right now”

World-leading scientist Dr. Daphna Shohamy studies memories and following over 20 years of expert research in neuroscience and psychology, presents an entirely new understanding of the role of memory, arguing that its primary purpose isn’t to accurately remember the past, but rather to help us predict the future, shape behaviour, and influence the people we become. In this ground-breaking book, Shohamy’s Past is Prologue explores how memory works, analyses the science of decision-making and reveals how understanding memory can shed light on a myriad of societal issues including politics, information overload, destructive behaviours and mental health.

Author: Dr Daphna Shohamy
Format: Trade Paperback
Release Date: 27 Mar 2025
Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-0-00-852753-2
Price: £14.99, £14.99 (Export Price) , €None
Dr Shohamy is a Professor at Columbia University and a member of the world-renowned Zuckerman Mind, Brain, Behavior Institute. She is also director of Columbia’s Learning Lab and co-director of Columbia’s Kavli Center for Neural Sciences. Her scientific papers have been published in Science, Nature Neuroscience, Neuron, and other top journals in neuroscience and psychology, and have been cited more than 9,000 times. She has been a featured guest on public television and podcast and radio programs worldwide and her work has been featured in CNN, the New York Times, Psychology Today, Vulture, Time, and Popular Science. She also served as a scientific consultant to the Oscar-winning animated film Inside Out.

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