James Gross showed volunteers a disgusting film. Those told to hide their feelings managed it outwardly, but their bodies revved up, with stronger cardiovascular responses, and they remembered less of what they saw. Those who reframed the scene, viewing it like a doctor for instance, felt less disgust without that physical cost.
Remembering is not replaying a recording — it is rebuilding. Each time you recall a memory, it becomes temporarily malleable and can be altered before being stored again. That is why two people can sincerely remember the same event… differently.
In 2003, Johnson and Goldstein compared European countries. Where you must tick a box to become a donor, consent rates ranged from 4% to 28%. Where you're a donor by default unless you opt out, they topped 85%. People aren't more generous on one side; most simply stick with whatever option was chosen for them.