It's on the tip of my tongue!
A Project by Reagen Frantz
Why did I pick Presque Vu?
I chose to do my project over Presque Vu because I have always found it fascinating how we almost have "half a memory" when we are expieriencing this phenomenon. Our brain knows the information, but something is keeping it from being accessed by our concious mind, and that is very fascinating to me. I wanted to learn more about the concept of Presque Vu and hopefully discover the actual cause. This could also help others know the science and facts behind Presque Vu.
So, what IS Presque Vu?
Presque Vu, also known as "tip of the tongue" syndrome (TOT), is a psychological penomenon in which one fails to recall a word for memory. Presque Vu is French for "almost seen", as the person may feel that the word, phrase, or name they are searching for is "almost seen" in their brain. The person expieiriencing Presque Vu will also expierience a partial recollection of the word, and will feel as though the will remember it any second. One may recall certain characteristics of the word, but not enough to recover full memory of it.
Presque Vu and The Brain
Presque Vu is usually related to problems Metacognition and in the left hemisphere, near the language learning center. Metacognition is the conscious and controllable awareness of knowledge and information, and the ability to use it. When TOT occurs, it is most likely because the memory surrounding a certain word, phrase, or name, has been weakened. To retrieve the word, and have that victorious moment when it finally dawns on you, your brain must remove the barrier the is blocking your memory. Other times, a stimuli can prompt your brain into remembering. There are two theories surrounding Presque Vu: The Direct Access Theory and The Inferential Theory. Both theories believe that the cause for Presque Vu is a weakness in memory.
Important Psychologists
Dr. Vernon M. Neppe studied Deja Vu and Presque Vu at The Pacific Neuropsychiatric Institute in Seattle, WA. He is well known for his book: The Psychology of Presque Vu.
Did You Know?
Did you know? Presque Vu is sometimes known as a "brain fart" or "senior moment".
Did you know? Presque Vu is actually the opposite of Deja Vu.
Did you know? Sometimes, when expierincing Presque Vu, one may feel like they are on the brink of a huge epiphany.