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I know that the emotion chip allowed Data to experience emotions, but is there a canon explanation of the other information it contained? I recall a reference somewhere to information from Dr Soong? For example, Data is able to laugh when it is installed (ST: Generations), and not the way he laughs during TNG (which is very annoying come to think of it!).

Did the extra information consist solely of a series of routines required to accurately display the physical side of emotions as well e.g. how to laugh properly or was it more than that?

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  • I'm at a loss why someone would vote to close this question. It seems very answerable...
    – Valorum
    Apr 6, 2014 at 17:25

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We're not told. The only canon quotes regarding the contents of the chip are in TNG: Brothers"

Soong : Basic emotions. Simple feelings, Data. Your feelings. I've imagined how hard it's been for you, living amongst beings so moved by emotion. (Both androids stare at the tiny chip held in the tweezers)

and in TNG: Descent Part 2

"LORE: I've got a way out of here. I'm willing to forget about what happened back there and take you with me. We don't need anyone else. We're brothers. I'll give you the chip our father made. It contains much more than just emotions. It has memories. Memories our father wanted you to have.

Given Soong's experiments with memory transfer from the colonists, I think we can reasonably assume that it contained Soong's own memories as well as those from various colonists and his wife.

It's worth noting that the chip was under Lore's control for nearly two years, it may have also been subject to his alteration.

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    I thought Data already had the memories of all of the colonists, as seen in the episode with the Crystalline Entity? The research scientist (I don't remember her name at the moment) initially dislikes Data, but then becomes attached to him because he has the memories. (Of note, he's unable to process them in an emotional manner; they are just stories if I remember correctly.)
    – user14952
    Apr 6, 2014 at 22:11
  • "DATA: I do not possess the minute to minute remembrances of each person, although the more intense recollections are contained in my memory banks"
    – Valorum
    Apr 6, 2014 at 22:14
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    The assumption that the chip contained the colonists memories is incorrect. In the episode "Silicon Avatar" Data indicates that he already has a record of the colonists memories. This episode occurs before he received the emotion chip. See scene 33B - st-minutiae.com/resources/scripts/204.txt
    – NKCampbell
    May 25, 2016 at 21:14
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    @NKCampbell - DOCTOR MARR (still skeptical) You possess -- their thoughts? DATA To some degree. Doctor Soong hoped to provide me with an amalgam of the colonists' memories. - It seems as if he's saying that he doesn't possess their (whole) memories, just some notable experiences. The chip may include a wider scope of memories from the colonists or even memories that Soong has collected in the intervening years...
    – Valorum
    May 25, 2016 at 21:43
  • Maybe....... :)
    – NKCampbell
    May 25, 2016 at 22:16

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