The Magic Doorway Effect

[icyfroth]

You know that feeling when you walk into a room and have no idea what you're doing in there?

This phenomena is often referred to as the "doorway effect" which, in layman's terms, refers to how we compartmentalize things in our brains.

It's like when you go into your bathroom positive you're finally going to scrub your tub, only to walk out a few minutes later holding your mouthwash, ready to watch Netflix for the night — then find yourself feeling frustrated in the morning because lo and behold, your tub is still dirty. Because somehow, again, you forgot why you went into the bathroom last night in the first place: To clean your tub.

Luckily, this sort of forgetfulness isn't laziness or apathy, and it's more common than you probably think.

While few people actually enjoy doing chores (and if you do, you're probably the best roommate ever), studies show that when we go from one room to another and immediately forget our purpose, there's a scientific explanation beyond our dislike of dirt and grime.

As Melissa Dahl at Science of Us puts it, "What happens in the kitchen, stays in the kitchen," referring to how we'll so easily walk into the kitchen intending to do the dishes or clean the oven, only to forget why we walked in to begin with, then leave the kitchen with a snack, leaving the dirty dishes and oven behind us.

What causes this strange phenomena?

There's a lot of interesting research on the subject, and it primarily connects to one component of our brains:

Memory.

For example, a 2014 study on memory showed that when participants walked through a door, they literally experienced a divide in their memory.

That's right: Crossing from one side of a door to the other (say, from your living room to your kitchen, where you are positive you are going to clean that oven) causes you to put up a literal mental block in your brain.

https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/forums/postpage/board-id/2500000007

Thank goodness! It's not just me!

[daydreams_12]

Searching for my phone frantically when I go out the door.  Yes, of cause I am talking on it.

[lionrose.7]

Always have one place to put your glasses when you take them off. it mist be the same place or you will wonder around for a good half hour to find them

[sandypebbles]

I do believe in the hereafter

I'll often walk into another room and think 'what am I here after' ? 

[springyzone]

That must be why the conventional wisdom always says to return to the original room if you want to remember it again!

One thing I have noticed with myself (apart from walking into a room sometimes and forgetting what I came for) is I'll open my phone or computer with an idea to look something specific up. But  after I log on, I'll notice I have a facebook message or maybe some emails and I'll look at them first. Maybe doa  scroll through facebook, have a look in at the ebay boards and before you know it, I've logged off and gone on my way and it's only later I think-oh yes, I meant to look that up!