how to make the best of your memory
elaborative rehearsal vs Maintenance Rehearsal
These are two different ways of encoding information from the working memory to your long-term memory. Maintenance rehearsal (repeating the same thing over and over so you remember it), is a good way to remember things like a phone number, or directions to the nearest bathroom but not so great for remembering things in the long term like test material! This is where elaborative rehearsal comes into play! Elaborative rehearsal involves relating information you learn to things you already know. Examples of this includes translating the info into your own words, making questions out of the material then answering them, using mnemonic devices and retrieval cues such as pictures and colours, chunking (ill go into that in a bit) and spacing things out! This takes a little more effort but sticks better and longer in your memory!
The 7±2 rule also known as “the magical number” or Millers Law is a number devised by Cognitive psychologist George A. Miller to denote the number of items a person can hold in their short term memory (an aspect of the working memory where information is stored for >20 seconds, and where retrieved memories go to when we need them). At any given time we can only hold between 5 and 9 bits of information (7±2). When trying to remember lists try not to have any more than 9 items on the list, however if more space is needed this is where chunking comes into play!
Chunking is when you break up large bits of information (such as the aforementioned list) into smaller chunks of information. This is sort of a cheat to the 7±2 law in that you manipulate your short term memory into being able to remember more actual information without remembering more “bits”.
For example, Try remembering the letters:
Now try to repeat them back in order. You can’t right? thats because theres 18 “bits” of information to remember. But when you rearrange it into chunks such as:
It’s a lot easier to remember right? That’s because theres only 6 bits of information to remember. Chunking allows you to remember more information by breaking it down into less “bits”.
Retrieval cues are mnemonic devices that help to bring information out of your long term memory into your awareness/working memory. It is a stimulus such as a picture, or a certain word. These retrieval cues act as a trigger that bring back memories. e.g. flashcards are good retrieval cues because the word acts as a trigger for you to remember the concept.
This means that what is learned in one state is more likely to be remembered in the same state. Basically if you’re drunk or high, memories can be more easily remembered when in the same state. Basically, don’t study when you’re drunk or high because come to the test or exam, unless you’re drunk or high again, it’s going to be harder to remember the information you learned.
the same as state dependant memory, you are more likely to remember information if you are in the same physical environment as where you learned it initially. for example, you might revisit your old high school and remember memories that you had previously forgotten simply because of your physical environment. This isnt a very specific science, so if you learn something in one classroom but have the exam in a similar looking classroom, you are still going to remember it more than you would if you initially learned it in a car, or in a library. To relate this to studying, if you study on your bed you might find it harder to remember information when you’re in an exam or a test.
These are two different ways to retrieve information from your long term memory. Recall involves generating an answer from your mind, then recognising whether or not it is correct, whereas recognition is simply selecting something that is previously learned from a list and is typically easier that recall because it requires less cognitive effort (multiple choice questions ask for recognition which is why they are easier than questions that ask you to come up with an answer yourself).
Tip of the tongue phenomenon
This is an interesting one to end on because its something that everyone can relate to. When you know that you know the answer but it just wont come to you, or the temporary inability to recall information it is called the “tip of the tongue phenomenon”. However, instead of spending minutes trying to remember it you should really just give up and come back to it later. This is because when you struggle to remember it you often get into a state of panic, or annoyance, and when you are next asked the same question you are less likely to remember the answer. If you simply look it up or ask someone before you let yourself get stressed, you are less likely to feel the same way the next time you are asked.
I know that this was a long one but I hope this helps you guys to make the best of your memory and good luck in your studies!!
jacobvanloon
gummygunk
stormborns
