Imagine that you are in a meeting where you will be discussing changes in your personnel policies at work.  What would you bring with you to the meeting?  You might have examples of other companies’ policies; you might come empty handed.  What influences you to do any of these things?  Your past experience.  You bring outside information because you have learned in the past that comparing situations can be helpful in decision making.  You might bring nothing with you because the last time this group of people met, they did nothing productive.  In either case, your past experiences are influencing your current communication.

We hear a tone of voice and know that the last time we experienced that tone of voice, we heard bad news.  We see someone running down the passage and we automatically expect something urgent.  Whatever we experience, our brain is examining our past experiences in order to be prepared to respond to what comes next.