Experiential memories are skewed towards peaks and ends.
There are two selves - the experiencing self and the remembering self.
The experiencing self is what you’re going through in the moment.
The remembering self is what you remember the experience to be like.
The remembering self is influenced by peak intensity and final intensity with regards to any experience. This is called the “Peak-end” rule.
Studies showed that students would prefer subjecting themselves to the longer, more painful experience of having their hand in ice for a minute, then having warm water mixed in with the ice (unknown to them), rather than having their hand in ice for 45 seconds and being able to pull it out immediately.