Hey there, viewers! Have you ever had a strange moment of recognition while petting your cat,
watching a movie, or walking into a house you’ve never been in before? If so,
you’ve just experienced the overwhelming psychological phenomenon of déjà vu.
Déjà vu is an extremely common psychic experience, affecting about 60% of the population.
Understanding how it works will help you grasp the complexity of our memory and overall brain.
In today’s video, we’ll talk about déjà vu, and different theories on what it is. How is the split
perception theory associated with déjà vu? What is memory recall? We’re talking all this AND more…
Before we begin with the theories, let’s understand what exactly the occurrence is.
Deja vu describes a strange feeling that you’ve already experienced something, even when
you know you’ve never experienced it. For instance, imagine it’s your first
time on a surfboard. You’ve never done anything like this before. Suddenly you have a memory of
the same hand movement under the same blue sky, as the same waves crashed at your feet.
Or maybe you’re exploring a new city for the first time, and you feel like you’ve already
walked this same tree-lined street. You may feel a little disoriented and wonder what’s going on.
Usually, deja vu is nothing to worry about. But it can be harmful when it’s accompanied by seizures
in people with temporal lobe epilepsy. Although déjà vu is quite common,
let’s explore some widely accepted theories on where it comes from...
Have you ever experienced deja vu? What’s your strangest experience?
Sound off in the comment section, and start a conversation with our Bestie community...
Split Perception Theory The split perception theory
states that déjà vu occurs when you see something at two different times.
The first time you see something, you may only see it out of the corner of
your eye. Just so you know, your brain can begin to form a memory of what it sees,
even with the limited amount of information it receives from a brief and incomplete look.
Therefore, you can accept more than you think. For example, if your first glimpse of something,
such as the view from a beach, does not grab your attention,
you might think this is your first time seeing it. But your brain remembers the past experience,
even if you weren’t fully aware of what you were watching. This is how déjà vu happens.
While you didn’t pay full attention to the experience the first time, it still registers
in your consciousness. The sensation is like two different events, but in reality, it’s
just a continued perception of the same event. Interested yet? Make sure you join our millions
of followers, and hit that “subscribe” button for all our great Bestie content!
Memory Recall Several experts suggest that déjà vu
has to do with the way you process and store memories. Déjà vu can occur in response to
an event similar to something you’ve already experienced but DO NOT remember. Maybe it was
something you experienced as a small child. While you cannot access this memory, your brain still
knows that you’ve been in a similar situation. According to another study, this often happens
when you see certain sights up close. This includes the interior of a building,
or a natural panorama that looks a lot like something you don't remember.
Many of us will experience this at some point. Many people state that their experience with
déjà vu makes them think they know what’s coming next. This has been debunked though.
A study also found that people seem to experience déjà vu more often when viewing things similar to
things they’ve already seen, but don’t remember. Consider this example. It’s your first day at a
new job. When you walk into the office, you’re immediately taken aback by the
overwhelming feeling of being there before. The mahogany table. The calendar on the wall. The
potted plant in the corner. The light coming through the window… It all seems so familiar.
Well if you've ever walked into a room with similar designs and furnishings,
chances are you’re experiencing déjà vu. Your brain recognizes a time you were in a room very
similar to that. You just can't put your finger on it. Instead, you will feel like you've seen
the new office even when you haven't. Before we move ahead, here’s another
video you might like. Watch and learn about 8 warning sings you’re eating too much sugar.
Now back to our talk on what may cause deja vu. Brain Dysfunction
Another theory explains that déja vu occurs when your brain is “malfunctioning”,
and experiences a short-term electrical failure, similar to what happens during a seizure.
In other words, it can occur as a type of confusion, where the part of the brain
that monitors current events and the part that remembers memories are both active.
Your brain misinterprets what is currently happening as a memory. This type of brain
dysfunction is usually not a cause for concern, unless it’s happening all the time.
Some experts believe that déjà vu can be caused by different types of brain dysfunction.
When your brain absorbs information, it usually follows a specific path from storing short-term
memory to storing long-term memory. The theory is that short-term memories can sometimes take
shortcuts to long-term memory storage. This can make you feel like you’re recalling a memory
from a long time ago, and not from something that actually happened just a second ago.
Déjà vu in healthy individuals can also be caused by a "mismatch" in neural pathways in the brain.
The brain constantly tries to form a perception of the world around it with limited input.
Another theory offers an explanation for the processing delay. You’re observing something, but
the information you receive through your senses is transmitted to your brain through two different
ways. One of these routes sends information to your brain a little faster than the other.
This delay may be small over a certain amount of time, but it still causes your brain to perceive
this single event as two different experiences. Confusing, right? I thought so too. Let’s get
into one that will blow your mind... The Parallel Universe Theory
There are also non-scientific explanations for déjà vu.
Some of these include the belief that déjà vu relates to some kind of psychic experience.
This includes remembering something you’ve experienced in a previous life, or in a dream.
The idea that we live among millions of parallel universes, containing millions
of versions of ourselves, leading lives just like ours with varying possibilities,
has always been an interesting thought. Déjà vu is part of this theory. Those
who believe in it argue that déjà vu can be explained as a "crossroads" with a parallel
universe. This means that whatever you do while experiencing déja vu is happening in another
universe. Another version of you is doing this at the exact same time, creating a connection.
While this may be interesting, the theory is not supported by a large body of scientific evidence.
This makes it pretty difficult to accept. However, the multiverse theory, which states that millions
of universes have randomly formed next to each other, may help support this belief.
But in the end, a LOT more research is needed. There are several other explanations for
déjà vu. Different cultures describe their experiences in different ways.
Déjà vu usually has no serious cause, but can also occur just before or during an epileptic
seizure. Deja vu can also be a sign of dementia. If you experience deja vu more than once a month,
you should see your doctor to rule out any underlying cause. Let’s take a look at a
couple more brain-related videos, shall we? Check out 16 rare psychological disorders most
people don’t know about. Or how about our list of the 11 worst foods for your brain?
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how
your brain works. Do you get deja vu a lot? Let us know in the comments below!