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Christian Merz in der RUB SERIE „Unter Druck“: Erinnern unter Stress (A09)

Ein Kommentar von Christian Merz (A09):

Unter Druck befinden sich in meinem Forschungsalltag meine Kolleg*innen, Studierende oder gar ich selbst, wenn auch teilweise aus unterschiedlichen Gründen. Uns alle eint, dass wir in unsicheren Zeiten immer wieder lernen müssen, mit neuen Erkenntnissen und Vorschriften umzugehen, alte zu vergessen und alles zu geeigneter Zeit korrekt zu erinnern – eine Herausforderung! Dabei hat die Forschung – auch die an unserem Lehrstuhl – schon gut etabliert, dass man sich unter Druck, wie es beispielsweise in Prüfungssituationen der Fall ist, nicht mehr so gut erinnern kann. Unter Druck kann man unter anderem Stress subsummieren, der unterschiedliche Botenstoffe freisetzt wie beispielsweise das Cortisol. Stresshormone reduzieren allerdings nicht nur den Gedächtnisabruf, sie fördern auch die Konsolidierung von neu erlerntem Material. Das heißt, unser Gehirn speichert Details eines stressreichen Ereignisses sehr gut ab, damit wir uns später daran umso besser erinnern können. Corona wird wohl lange in unserem Gedächtnis bleiben!

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New Year, New Me: The Facts

As the calendar turns to a new year, millions of people around the world commit to New Year’s resolutions, making promises to use the new year as a fresh beginning and an opportunity for transformation. In 2024, almost three-quarters of the British population set themselves New Year’s resolutions — that’s around 40 million people (or the entire population of Canada). This tradition was particularly strong among younger generations, with 96% of Generation Z (aged 18-27) planning resolutions, compared to just 35% of the Silent Generation (aged 79+).

Most common new years resolutions:

  1. Saving more money (52%)
  2. Eat healthier (50%)
  3. Exercise more (48%)
  4. Lose weight (37%)
  5. Spend more time with family/friends (35%)

How long do most resolutions normally last before being broken?

  • Data from America (2016) shows that 75% of individuals maintain their resolutions through the first week. 
  • 64% of individuals maintain their resolutions through the first month. 
  • 46% of individuals in America keep their resolutions past the 6-month mark.

What makes resolutions stick?

Oscarsson et al. (2020) conducted research into what makes New Year’s resolutions stick. Biggest success rates depended on how people phrased their goals. Participants who set approach-oriented goals (trying to move toward or maintain a desirable outcome or state) than those with avoidance-oriented goals (trying to move toward or maintain a desirable outcome or state) were significantly more successful (58.9% vs. 47.1%) at sticking to their goals.

The study also investigates the effects of outside support. These participants received monthly follow-ups and emails with information and exercises for coping with hurdles when striving toward personal goals, and were also encouraged to set goals using the SMART technique and to set interim goals. The group that received some support was exclusively and significantly more successful compared to the groups who received a lot of support or no support at all. 

Additionally, you might feel more successful if you set goals that are measurable in numbers. While success for a person striving to quit smoking or lose weight could easily be measured in the number of cigarettes smoked or body mass index, the success for a person striving to „take better care of themselves“ could be highly subjective and possibly impossible to measure.

So as we enter 2026, let’s remember to work with our brain’s natural learning system: Frame your goals positively, break them into manageable steps, and celebrate small wins along the way.