Podcast Summary: Chasing Life

Episode: How Storytelling Shapes the Way You Remember the Holidays
Host: Dr. Sanjay Gupta (CNN Podcasts)
Guest: Dr. Signe Sheldon, Associate Professor of Psychology, McGill University
Date: December 19, 2025

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores how storytelling, particularly during the holidays, shapes our memories and influences our connections to family and friends. Joined by Dr. Signe Sheldon, an expert in memory research, the podcast delves into why family members recall the same event differently, the functions of memory, and offers listeners practical advice for nurturing connection through family stories this holiday season.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Do We Remember Shared Events Differently?

• Opening Conversation: Dr. Gupta shares a relatable family story: “You're around the table swapping stories, and suddenly it feels like everyone lived a slightly different version of the exact same moment.” (00:17)
• Family Example: Dr. Sheldon discusses memorable divergences within her large family: “[My brother] goes, I have no idea. I don't remember that this happened at all.” (02:50)
• Insight: Memory is flexible, reconstructed each time we recall it, rather than a static "file" in our brains.

2. How Memory Is Formed and Retrieved

• Dr. Sheldon explains: Memories are reconstructed, not replayed:

  “Our memories are not stored as files in our brain or these static images ... memories are these flexible, dynamic recreations.” (04:06)

• Role of Hippocampus:

  “The hippocampus is the epicenter for memory formation and retrieval ... it can build different versions of whatever experience that you're bringing to mind.” (04:16)

3. The Three Main Functions of Memory

• Directive Function:
  Use the past to guide survival and future problem solving—e.g., not turning left where a bear was spotted in the past.
• Identity Formation:
  Memories help maintain a sense of self and personal continuity.
• Social Bonding:
  Memory and storytelling foster community and connection:

  “We reminisce about the past, we imagine scenarios with other people in, in a way to connect and create community.” (05:00)

4. Memory “Personality Traits”: Conceptual vs. Perceptual Rememberers

• Lab to Real Life: Previous research overlooked real-world memory. New studies use questionnaires and brain imaging.
• Two Types Identified:
  • Perceptual Rememberers: Focus on detailed sensory information—“telling it like it is.”
  • Conceptual Rememberers: Focus on meaning, feelings, and interpretations.
• Brain Differences:
  • Conceptual rememberers' hippocampus connects more with emotion and meaning-processing areas.
  • Perceptual rememberers' hippocampus connects more with sensory cortex (images, sounds):

    “We see the hippocampus was just intrinsically connected to regions ... involved in creating images, so visual and auditory images.” (08:42)

5. Storytelling Demonstration: Spot the Difference

• Gupta shares a conceptual version:
  “Dinner was basically a mess, but nobody cared ... The holidays aren’t about the food. They’re about enjoying the chaos, the laughter, and having everyone together.” (09:13)
• Sheldon shares a perceptual version:
  “Mom was frantically waving a red towel under it. The oven was wide open and smoke was pouring out everywhere. The dog was barking. Someone dropped a plate and it smashed, and the kitchen smelt like burnt stuffing…” (09:44)
• Analysis:

  “So a lot of those details that you gave us ... didn’t actually happen in that moment ... you’re interpreting ... When I’m telling that story, I’m focusing on just recounting it exactly as it occurred.” (10:24)

6. Why Flexibility in Remembering Matters

• Both types serve different purposes—one’s not “better,” and the healthiest memory systems are flexible:

  “Being flexible between these forms of remembering is actually the best.” (11:25)

• Occupation and life experience may bias one towards a certain memory style.

7. Memory Styles in Practice: An On-Air Test

• Gupta is asked to recount a dog walk: Focuses on intention and explanation, not just the sensory facts.
• Sheldon explains:

  “What I notice is ... you’re providing that interpretation or that conceptual information. Somebody who’s more of a perceptual rememberer might say, ‘We put the brown leash on Bruno’s harness...’” (14:10)

• Real-World Relevance:
  Conceptual stories connect us in shared meaning; details matter more when precision is needed (e.g., eyewitness testimony).

8. How Memory Changes with Age

• Younger people encounter novel experiences, requiring more detailed recall.
• As we age, memory may shift to a more conceptual mode due to greater familiarity and accumulated knowledge:

  “This sense of familiarity ... will activate a more conceptual form of remembering.” (16:38)

9. Can One Be Good at Both Types?

• Preference may shift with age, but adaptability is key:

  “Here’s my preference ... but I know it’s not gonna serve me well in this certain situation. That’s the key to a good memory.” (18:09)

10. Retelling Stories Changes Memories

• Recounting causes memories to evolve, potentially baking in new interpretations:

  “Every time you actually recount a memory, that’s a chance for that memory to evolve and change.” (20:06)

• Conceptual memories, connected to broader knowledge, are more persistent over time.

11. The Nature of Truth in Memory

• “Memories don’t necessarily have to be the truth ... The function of our memory system is actually to be flexible ... to survive and thrive in our present moment.” (21:24)
• Perceptual details may be “truer” to events, but conceptual interpretations are meaningful truths about internal experiences.

12. Holiday Memories and Expectation Mismatches

• The holidays prompt comparison to past events, and mismatches stand out (prediction error signal).
• Mismatches are not inherently bad; how we interpret them matters:

  “If you start to find yourself feeling a bit negative ... just say, this is an exception, it's not the expectation.” (24:52–25:53)

13. Advice for Holiday Family Storytelling

• Focus on meaning and shared interpretations for better connection.
• Try a memory-sharing activity: Have everyone recount a shared event and notice the differences without judging them.
• Accept that differences in recounting are normal and insightful:

  “When you’re focusing on the conceptual aspects of a memory, people are bringing their knowledge to the table. So that knowledge is going to be different.” (27:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dr. Sanjay Gupta:
  “You’re around the table swapping stories, and suddenly it feels like everyone lived a slightly different version of the exact same moment.” (00:17)
• Dr. Sheldon:
  “Our memories are not stored as files in our brain or these static images ... memories are these flexible, dynamic recreations.” (04:06)
• Dr. Sheldon:
  “Being flexible between these forms of remembering is actually the best.” (11:25)
• Dr. Sheldon on memories as truth:
  “Memories don’t necessarily have to be the truth. So I think trying to figure out what is the truth of a memory is doing a disservice to the functions of the memory system.” (21:24)
• Storytelling Game Advice:
  “Just notice them. When you’re focusing on the conceptual aspects of a memory, people are bringing their knowledge to the table ... and isn’t this interesting?” (27:04)

Important Timestamps & Segments

• Why family members remember differently (00:17–04:06)
• How memory is formed and real-world vs lab research (04:06–08:42)
• Conceptual vs perceptual memory personalities (06:42–08:59)
• Storytelling comparison: conceptual vs perceptual (09:44–10:24)
• Evolving memories with retelling (20:06–21:24)
• The “truth” in memory and attention focus (21:24–23:27)
• Holiday storytelling, mismatches & advice (23:51–27:04)
• Family memory activity suggestion (27:04–28:11)

Practical Takeaways

• Our memories are reconstructed and personalized—not objective recordings.
• Flexible use of both conceptual and perceptual remembering leads to richer social connection and better practical memory.
• Sharing meaning and emotion in holiday storytelling fosters community—differences in recollections are normal, useful, and interesting.
• When holiday reality doesn’t meet memory-driven expectations, acknowledge the mismatch and resist negative reinterpretation.
• For family bonding: Encourage everyone to share a memory of the same event and explore the diversity of impressions.

Summary prepared by Chasing Life Podcast Summarizer
For listeners and aspiring storytellers seeking science-backed ways to foster connection—and more meaningful memories—this episode is a warm and practical guide, just in time for the holidays.