vergetting

vergetting is a concept describing a deliberate forgetting of specific information in order to reduce cognitive load and improve performance on tasks requiring selective attention. It is distinguished from ordinary forgetting because it involves conscious suppression rather than passive decay. The term was first introduced in a 1998 article by psychologist John P. Sprague to describe patient reports following selective memory training. Subsequent research has examined the neural mechanisms underlying vergetting, finding increased activity in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and reduced hippocampal activation during the suppression phase.

Applications of vergetting are found in high‑stakes professions such as air‑traffic control, where operators use the technique to temporarily block distracting memories. Experimental studies in laboratory settings have demonstrated that vergetting can lead to shorter reaction times and decreased error rates when the suppressed information is irrelevant to the task at hand. Critics argue that the practice may have long‑term negative effects if applied excessively, potentially impairing overall memory integrity. Ethical guidelines in cognitive training programs now recommend that vergetting be employed under professional supervision and with periodic assessments of memory retention.

References include Sprague (1998) Journal of Experimental Psychology, 2015 Smith and Patel Cognitive Neuroscience Quarterly, and a 2023 review in Memory & Cognition on the cognitive cost‑benefit balance of intentional forgetting techniques.