Memory experiment

[magi13]

Hi, I'm really interested with how memory works, I ask you, to try these experiment for one week, let your friends try it or those close to you and observe if these exercises improved your memory or their memory, even for a little bit.

 

Objective:

 

"A healthy mind = a healthy body."

 

"Good focus, concentration, understanding and memory."

 

"5 minutes of memory exercise per day is all it takes."

 

The Hypothesis is that, memory is like a muscle, if you exercise it it'll be stronger.

 

So let's do our best to disprove this hypothesis. (P.s. I do believe that a the mind works like a muscle, this is for the sake of being objective).

 

--oOo--

 

I'll be including rote memory and mnemonics in this experiment, I know there are lots of books out there, even I wrote a book about memory, but I want to share these information without any reservation. (Free).

 

I'll start first with rote memory. This by far is the simplest form of memorization, but don't be surprised, if you don't know about it. I myself didn't know about it until I was was studying law.

 

Rote memory is repetition.

 

Example Exercise:

 

Memorizing numbers.

 

1. Group them into chunks of two.

 

It is believed that the normal person can memorize on the average 5 digits with out problems. My goal is to improve that to 10 digits. Bear with me and try this exercise for a week, and see if you're memory improved with memorizing 10 digit numbers.

 

3.14159265

 

First, divide them into chunks.

 

3. 14-15-92-65

 

Read the first two items. 3.

Cover the item and recite 3. at least twice.

 

Read the first chunk and add the second one. 3. 14

Cover the item and recite both at least twice.

 

Repeat these steps until the all then digits are covered.

 

Rote memory exercise with words.

 

When we need to memorize the things we understand. This method is useful.

 

The same steps apply.

 

Let's use this love quote as an example.

 

When I saw you I was afraid to meet you. When I met you I was afraid to kiss you. When I kissed you I was afraid to love you. Now that I love you, I am afraid to lose you.

 

First we divide these into chunks.

 

1. When I saw you I was afraid to meet you.

 

2. When I met you I was afraid to kiss you.

 

3. When I kissed you I was afraid to love you.

 

4. Now that I love you, I am afraid to lose you.

 

Read the first line and the cover it.

Recite the first line without looking at the sentence.

When comfortable;

Read the first and second line.

Recite the first and second line without looking at the sentence.

Then proceed till all the lines are memorized.

 

--oOo--

 

With respect to mnemonics, I use the method of loci. It's a simple technique, but if you don't practice it, it'll be hard to apply. So I'll introduce the basics first.

 

The exercise is to link or make a story of 10 items, per day.

 

We'll link 10 random items.

 

1. Science

2. Forum

3. Original

4. Amateur

5. Science

6. Experiments

7. Post

8. New

9. Thread

10. Title

 

In order to link things together, we use our imagination, we'll use all of our five senses and intuition.

 

First, linking Science with forum. We imagine the we, (you) is going to present the new found discovery of how to live forever. There are scientists who don't believe, and hence their will be a discussion.

 

Second, we link Forum with Original. We imagine, that the forum, is so unique, "I imagine that it's held in the play boy mansion." That's original for me. What you imagine will work for you.

 

Then we link the last word with the next word until all ten words are linked.

 

To recall, you link the last word with the first word, in effect you get to link everything in a loop.

 

Now that's we've covered the topic of linking. Let's proceed to location.

 

Location, according to the Romans and Greeks are where memories are easily remembered.

 

If your new with this method, I have a simple visualization exercise for you to try.

 

Memory after all, is the representation of the objective world into something we perceive.

 

First compare visualizing a simple triangle without background VS. A pyramid in Egypt.

 

Here's a link for the pyramid.

http://www.pyramidofman.com/blog/images/great_pyramid_01.jpg

 

Here's a link for the triangle.

http://sethoscope.net/devil-stick/triangle/triangle.png

 

Look at the image and then close your eyes. First imagine the simple triangle and make sure the image is static.

 

Can you hold it for 10 seconds? I can.

 

This visualization is simple, but it's incomplete. I realized how incomplete it was when I reviewed and made further experiments with the method of loci.

 

Look at the image of the pyramid and then close your eyes. First imagine the background, add details, then intuitively, the pyramid will appear. hold the image for 10 seconds.

 

Results:

 

I can clearly imagine the pyramid over the plain triangle. The former is easier to visualize than the later, because the background serves as association or peg for the whole thing.

 

Tip: Imagine the image as you see the picture. It'll be easier to recall than just that specific thing. It'll appeal to your senses.

 

Now try which works for you.

 

--oOo--

 

Method of loci proper

 

Okay now that the basics has been established.

 

Let's proceed into memorizing ten items with the method of loci.

 

Here's the exercise material.

 

1. Home

2. Community

3. Chat

4. New posts

5. Search

6. My account

7. Log out

8. Post new thread

9. Forum

10. Experiments

 

Supposing your in your room right now. I want you to prepare ten stages to use as locations. It has to be sequential.

 

Ex. I woke up from me bed, I went to the closet to get clothes, I want to take a bath, brush my teeth, get the towel, change clothes, drink water, head to work.

 

Now I'll use my own locations here, later you can substitute your own location because it'll be better.

 

1. Bed - I woke up on my bed and I was hugging my home. (so i visualize a miniature house replica of my home.) we link home with community. (I visualize, in my miniature home, all my classmates, co-workers are chatting happily.)

 

2. Closet- After observing the community, (imagine yourself flying from the bed to the closet) I was going to get my clothes, but I found a community instead (some of my co workers seemed to have flew with me and I found them chatting at the closet.) We link Community with chat.

 

3. Comfort room- They came and chatted with me towards the comfort room. and i was forced to talk with them while barring the door, (pervs). When I opened the shower, instead of water, came out new posts. (new steel posts or new submitted posts)

 

4. Comfort still (towel rack) - I shielded myself from the new posts and grabbed for the towel (next location ) but didn't find it, so I "searched for it."

 

So on and so forth till the last item has a location.

 

A small outline of how this works is.

 

1. location - 1st item - linked - 2nd

2. location - 2nd item - linked - 3rd

3. location - 3rd item - linked - 4th

 

so on and so forth, the reason for doing it this way is that we'll be reminded of the next item and if we forget one item, we can skip to the next item and maybe we'll be reminded of what's before it.

 

Just review the journey at most 5 times and it's in your head.

 

--oOo--

 

The exercises:

 

1. Rote memory - make your own set of numbers and words or quotes

2. Visualization - choose your own object to observe and imagine

3. Method of loci (tip, imagine the background first and have some locations ready. Yes, you can use the location for different items, and remember the old ones if you first become very familiar with the first item. ex. give it one day after the last review. Then review the former item. The next day, memorize the new items on the location of the former. The former in effect will seem like part of the background, so you can't erase it, unless you really want to.) <-- this is also subject to be dis proven so, ^^ try it.

 

I want you to try any of the three above and inform me if it has improved your memory at least, less headaches or whatever results you may feel. For one week. At least 5 minutes per day.

 

Pm me if you have questions. or clarifications.

 

I hope you'll enjoy this little experiment.

 

-m

 

Results from past experiments.

 

1. My peers seemed to have a hard time learning method of loci. So i had to explain it to them.

 

2. You perceive a funny experience when you visualize, like theirs something happening in your mind. It feels like a tingle.

 

3. Focus, improved a lot for people who tried the visualization exercises, ( even though they didn't do the method of loci and rote memory exercises.) Instead, they developed a sense for memory. They don't see things as a visual image, but they understand it.

 

4. Some value rote over mnemonics.

 

5. Some hate doing rote exercises, because it hurts. <-- major reason. forcing association without an apparent connection.

 

6. When they read, they imagine a background and characters are doing the actions with respect to the topic. <-- best result.

 

7. On terms of practicality rote and method of loci are both necessary depending on the circumstances.

Edited March 24, 2009 by magi13

[laserlipo]

hello.......................all

I think memory Experiments are run automatically using Macromedia Flash on computer. Information is presented which you are asked to respond to. Specific details for each experiment are outlined in the page for that particular experiment.......................thanks