The hypothesis that memories fade and deteriorate over time due to the passage of time alone, without any interference from other factors. According to this theory, unused memories simply weaken and disappear naturally.
From Latin 'de-' meaning 'away' and 'cadere' meaning 'to fall,' combined with Greek 'theoria' meaning 'contemplation.' The concept emerged in early 20th-century psychology as researchers tried to explain why we forget things over time.
Decay theory suggests your brain is like a library where books automatically crumble if not checked out regularly - but research shows this isn't quite accurate since memories can be remarkably persistent even after decades of disuse!
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