What is the 'doorway effect'? Why do we forget when moving from one room to another?

This effect was reinforced by previous research, such as that of psychologist Alan Baddeley in the 1970s, which showed that we learn and remember best in the same context in which we acquired the information.

Why we forget when changing environments

Forgetting caused by the "doorway effect" is unrelated to distance traveled or time elapsed—and occurs even if we simply imagine walking through a door. This happens because episodic memory (linked to places and events) and semantic memory (of concepts and meanings) work together, using contextual cues to keep information alive. When changing environments, these cues change, and the brain "refreshes" the scene, prioritizing new tasks.

Furthermore, multitasking is an aggravating factor: when we divide our attention between multiple tasks, some information remains "behind the scenes" and can be lost in the transition. While frustrating, this type of forgetfulness is natural and occurs in both young and old people, and is not a sign of illness.

In fact, forgetting also has a positive role: it frees up mental space and prevents information overload, helping with adaptation to new situations.

When forgetfulness deserves attention

Occasional forgetfulness when walking through a door is considered normal. However, more frequent, severe memory loss, or memory loss accompanied by difficulties with daily tasks, may indicate health problems. Diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, dementia with Lewy bodies, and other neurological conditions progressively affect memory and require medical evaluation.