Final answer:
Pruning is influenced by experiences, and is guided by 'use it or lose it'. Arousal theory suggests that emotional experiences contribute to the strength of memories. Understanding these processes is crucial for developing treatments for disorders related to memory and trauma.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of pruning in psychology refers to the process by which certain neural connections in the brain are strengthened and maintained, while others that are not used are eliminated. This process is influenced by experiences, which is why the phrase 'use it or lose it' is commonly associated with neural pruning. Specifically, experiences that involve strong emotions can result in the formation of strong memories, as proposed by the arousal theory. Conversely, experiences with weaker emotional impact may lead to weaker memories or their pruning from the neural network.
Moreover, aftermaths like trauma can lead to conditions such as anterograde amnesia or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), where memory, and how it is processed, becomes critically impacted. The understanding of these processes and the strong linkage between emotions, neurotransmitter activity, and memory retention or loss is helping to shape treatments for such disorders. Additionally, the influence of bias on memories asserts that our emotions and worldview can distort how we recall past events, a concept vital to understanding human memory behavior.