Déjà Vu: The Feeling You’ve Felt Before
Think you're in full control of your mind? Think again.
Most of us have probably experienced that embarrassing feeling where our brains subconsciously shut down: maybe you have entered a room and completely forgotten why, or perhaps you might have opened the fridge a few times for no apparent reason.
Sometimes it’s the opposite, and you remember instead of forgetting. The place, the sound, and the people are oddly familiar, almost as if you’ve lived that exact moment before. Scientists call it déjà vu, a strange trick of the mind where the present feels like the past.
Déjà vu, which directly translates to “seeing again,” is a fairly old phenomenon, dating back to as early as 400 AD, where it was first formally described by St. Augustine as “false memoriae (memories).” It is also a relatively common occurrence, with roughly 60 to 80 percent of people experiencing the phenomenon at least once.
Even after over a hundred years, the complex nature of our brains makes it notoriously difficult for scientists to produce a concrete explanation for why déjà vu occurs. Promptly, let’s replay some of the most accepted and intriguing theories that explain this phenomenon that defies logic.
Dual-Processing Theory
According to the Dual-Processing Theory, our brains classify things we see into either new or familiar. These neural networks normally work together to give us a signal on whether or not an experience has happened to us in the past. During déjà vu, however, these two processes fall out of sync and cause our brain to label a new experience as “familiar” before it is interpreted as “new,” leaving you bamboozled whether you are remembering the past or the present.
Pattern Recognition Theory
This theory suggests that déjà vu occurs when a new memory strongly resembles a fragmented version of a forgotten past one. Lighting, sounds, or even faces that you have seen can be common triggers. This happens because our brains naturally fill in new memories to match past ones, creating the illusion of false familiarity.
Parallel Universe Theory
The parallel universe is essentially the possibility of infinite realities and versions of yourself. In the parallel universe theory, you briefly connect with your consciousness from another reality where a similar or identical experience happened. This means it could also be the case that you experienced déjà vu because you, from another universe, just did what you were doing!
More importantly, though, déjà vu does not signify poor memory or a lack of intelligence, as it is a completely normal cognitive function. Still, it could simply mean you are experiencing mental lapses, or what some would like to call “brain farts,” possibly from stress, fatigue, or sleep deprivation. In many cases, all you need is a little bit of rest.
As it turns out, you can’t always count on your own brain. Déjà vu blurs the line between our memories and reality, revealing the sheer intricacy of our cognitive capabilities. Although you may not be able to trust yourself, you can definitely trust the fact that you’re experiencing this article for the first time! (unless you are rereading it, of course)
Sources:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-deja-vu-why-do-we-experience-it-5272526
https://deja-experience-research.org/history/brief-history
https://medium.com/@buitheanh.net/10-intriguing-theories-explaining-d%C3%A9j%C3%A0-vu-a0b98ff7dc32
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/the-psychology-of-deja-vu.html
