The British Association for the Advancement of Science (BA) wants your Beatles memories. Working with scientists at the University of Leeds, the BA is running an online survey aimed at creting the world’s largest database of “autobiographical memories” every undertaken. The timing: 44 years ago this month, the Beatles occupied the top five positions on Billboard’s Top Pop singles chart. According to a BA press release:

Psychologists know that certain cues are successful at triggering the recollection of events from our lives – our ‘autobiographical memories’. Music in particular has a strong emotive and recollective power in relation to our long-term memory.

Whilst the majority of memory studies look at ‘flash-bulb’ events such as the shuttle disaster this will be the first time psychologists have attempted to gather a huge database of memories by tapping into the unique global influence the Beatles have in shaping our personal identities. As global pop icons, the impact of the life, times and music of the Beatles spans different generations, countries and cultures.

The results of the Magical Memory Tour will help further our understanding of how children develop a capacity for memory, how adults process memory and how memory changes in older adulthood.

The survey is aimed at anyone, anywhere, who has a memory relating to the Beatles – you don’t have to be a fan to get involved! Participants should think about the first thing that comes to mind from their life that is related to the Beatles. It may be a very vivid memory relating to a particular album, song, news story - or even band member.

You can find the survey at the Magical Memory Tour site.

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