minneverdi

Minneverdi is a term used in cognitive science and information studies to describe a conceptual value assigned to a memory or information item within an individual’s memory system. The word combines the Norwegian minne (memory) and verdi (value), and is sometimes used in theoretical discussions about why some memories are more retrievable or influential than others.

Definition and scope

Minneverdi refers to the estimated usefulness or salience of a memory as it affects future behavior, decision making, or learning outcomes. It proxies how likely a memory is to be recalled, to guide actions, or to be integrated into new knowledge. The concept is not a standardized metric in mainstream psychology, but appears in discussions of memory prioritization, education, and user experience design.

Measurement and modeling

Because there is no universal standard, researchers describe minneverdi using approximate models that combine factors such as recency, retrieval frequency, emotional impact, contextual richness, and semantic relevance. A simple illustrative model might assign values on a 0–1 scale to recurrence (R), frequency (F), emotion (E), and context richness (C), with weights w1–w4 summing to 1. Minneverdi could be expressed as: minneverdi = w1*R + w2*F + w3*E + w4*C. Different domains may adjust the factors or weights to fit observed memory behavior.

Applications

Potential applications include educational tools that tailor practice to high-minneverdi items, memory-aid design, and interfaces that prioritize information with higher expected long-term impact. In memory research, minneverdi serves as a heuristic for modeling prioritization during encoding and retrieval.

Limitations

The concept is informal and not standardized; individual differences, context, and task demands can heavily influence memory value. Critics warn against over-quantifying complex cognitive processes.

See also

Memory, encoding, retrieval, spaced repetition, salience.