The Psychology of Deja Vu: Why We Feel We've Lived a Moment Before - Aliza Iram Bakshi Syed / III B.Sc Psychology/PG Department of Psychology / MKJC(A)

 The Psychology of Deja Vu: Why We Feel We've Lived a Moment Before 

Déjà vu is a French term that literally means "already seen." In psychology, it refers to a brief and intense feeling of familiarity with a situation, place, or event — even though you know you've never experienced it before.

Déjà vu is a psychological phenomenon where a person feels that they have already lived through or experienced the present situation, despite knowing it is new or unfamiliar.

It is an incredibly common experience; something upwards of 97% of people are thought to have experienced déjà vu at least once, with more than two-thirds of people experiencing it with some regularity.

It is believed that déjà vu may be the result of two different streams of awareness colliding: the experience of recognizing a current situation, alongside the feeling that this is an inaccurate recollection. A key feature is that the person realizes that they have not actually seen this before. Sometimes, what happens is really a matter of split perception and someone is processing a sight twice because they may have been distracted or their vision was obstructed for some reason.

Though the actual feeling of déjà vu is the same across people with healthy brains and those with neurological conditions, different things are happening in the brain during each of these types. Those who do experience it more regularly show less grey matter than those who don’t. Grey matter is the outermost layer of the brain, and it is responsible for controlling movement, memory, and emotions. Typically, the more grey matter a brain has, the more effective it is.

In those with neurological conditions, three parts of the brain are impacted: the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and temporal neocortex—areas that are associated with forming and retaining memories.

The conditions that might experience more déjà vu than those with a healthy brain include:

● Schizophrenia

● Epilepsy

● Anxiety

● Vascular dementia

Many people associate déjà vu with supernatural beliefs — such as past lives, psychic abilities, or time loops — but scientific research does not support these ideas. While these interpretations may be emotionally satisfying or culturally influenced, psychology views déjà vu as a natural brain event, not a paranormal one. The sensation may be strange, but it is entirely rooted in cognitive processing.

Some interesting facts about Déjà vu

● Déjà Vu Is Extremely Common

● It Usually Lasts Only a Few Seconds

● It’s More Common When You’re Tired or Stressed

● It’s Strongly Linked to the Temporal Lobe

● People with Epilepsy Often Experience Déjà Vu Before Seizures

● Déjà Vu Can Be Triggered in the Lab

● It’s Less Common in Young Children and Older Adults

● Your Brain May Be Testing Its Memory System

● Dreams Might Be Linked to Déjà Vu

In essence, déjà vu offers a fascinating glimpse into how our memory and perception systems work — and occasionally, how they misfire. It reminds us that our sense of reality is closely tied to how the brain processes and recalls information. While it may feel like a glitch in the matrix, déjà vu is actually a sign of a healthy, working memory system — just one that occasionally gets a little ahead of itself.

A Blog By

Ms. Aliza Iram Bakshi Syed

III B.Sc Psychology

PG Department of Psychology

Marudhar Kesari Jain College for Women (Autonomoud)

Vaniyambadi