ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Affective memory

Affective memory is a type of memory that is linked to our emotions and feelings. Remember when you ate your favorite ice cream, how happy you were? That's an example of affective memory.

When we experience something that creates a strong emotional response, our brains take note and remember it more easily. It's like putting a bright colorful sticker on important information so we don't forget it.

When we recall a memory that has a strong emotional component, we can feel the same emotions all over again. That's why sometimes, we cry when we think about something sad that happened in the past or feel happy again just by remembering something joyful.

So, affective memory is a kind of memory that helps us remember things that are important to us, like how we felt at a certain moment or how we reacted to a situation. It helps us keep those experiences which are dear to us in our memory for a longer time.