Day 24: Learning Technique 11: Mnemonic Links

Today we discuss our learning technique #11, mnemonics, which create robust, multi-sensory neural associations between foreign concepts and their meanings, so you can remember things more easily. You will learn what this technique is, the science behind it, why you should use it, and finally how you can apply it to accelerate your learning.

Resources for this lesson:

• Transcripts
• Worksheet
• List of Scientific References

Summary

What are Mnemonics?

Mnemonic links create robust, multi-sensory neural associations between foreign concepts and their meanings, so you can remember things more easily.

Memories made with mnemonics are much stickier, meaning they stay in long-term memory and can be more easily drawn from later into your conscious working memory when you need them.

Why it matters: Sometimes you need to remember large quantities of information, like a speech. Mnemonics can be a valuable tool in those situations.

What does the science say?

In mnemonics, you're associating a word or a concept with a visual image that you create, which induces dual coding and uses the our natural superpowers in visual memory. [1]

• Research has found [2] that our brains are able to recognize an image in as little as 13 milliseconds. So using our visual memory is faster, more reliable and more efficient.
• A growing body of research has proven that visual memory is vastly superior to rote memorization.
• Almost half of the human cortex is involved in visual processing while less than 10% is auditory, according to research.
• In one study, [3] a group of people was shown a series of 2,560 images. A few days later, some of these pictures were shown again, but mixed with many images that hadn't been shown before. On average people identified 90% of the original 2,560 images they'd seen beforehand.

Mnemonics use set of links about previous concepts to act as anchors for rapidly building a new set of links for new concepts that you're learning.

• This approach relates to a concept in neuroscience known as the neural reuse, where set of links developed for one concept can be reused to enable you to understand another concept.

Why should you use it?

These are time tested techniques that have been used by some of the greatest memory champions across several different competencies to memorize large quantitates of information.

However, there are two disadvantages to using mnemonics

• Using the techniques requires considerable upfront investment.
• Recalling from mnemonics is often not as automatic as to directly remembering something.

How do you use it?

Use verbal mnemonics:

• Acronyms, like RICE for rest, ice, compression and elevation,  are done by taking the first letter of each word that you need to memorize and putting them in an order that is memorable.
• Create sentences that correspond to the words in your that needs to be remembered such as "my very elderly mother just served us noodles" = Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Create markers or vivid images: for a concept you're trying to remember. The more crazy fun and vivid your images, the more likely it is to stick.

1. Create highly detailed visualizations: creating a high level of detail, you ensure that you're creating a very robust visualization to stick into your long-term memory.
2. Opt for strange: Your visualization should include absurd, bizarre, violent, or even sexual imagery. Our hippocampus are attuned to remembering things that seem strange.
3. Leverage existing knowledge: Make use of images, ideas, or memories that you already have. Our brains pay special attention to information that's related to stuff we already know.
4. Connect the visualization to your learning: create logical connections that symbolize what you're trying to remember.

Use metaphors, which takes a phenomenon you already know and using it to explain or understand a new concept.

Use a memory palace, or method of loci,  in which you create an image for every concept you want to remember, and then anchor these images to a familiar physical location.

• Unlike other techniques that we've talked about before the memory palace allows you to not only memorize large amounts of information, but to do so in perfect order.

Memory palaces are effective because they:

• encourage us to create novel, bizarre visualizations tricking the hippocampus into remembering otherwise unimportant or unrelated information.
• chunk information into manageable units, storing information more easily in our mind.
• associate new information with existing deeply held memories, dramatically increasing their memorability.
• leverage spatial mapping, the brain's ability to constantly create strong lasting memories of everywhere you've ever been.

Steps to build a memory palaces:

1. Choose a memorable location, such as past homes, office buildings, even stores you've occasionally strolled through.
2. Determine the order the information needs to be recalled in and tracing locations in a logical order in your memory palace.
3. Create novel images and visual markers for each piece of information you need to remember.
4. Place these images in designated locations in your memory palace. Avoid placing multiple visualizations in the same exact location within that memory palace.
5. Once created, practice going through your memory palace in order, recalling each visualization and the associated piece of information it represents.

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Activity

Create a memory palace to remember all the learning techniques we have covered, or another mnemonic to create visualizations for each learning technique.

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Skill Lesson Mastered

Demonstrate mastery of the knowledge and skills presented in this lesson by applying it to the above activity. If, and only if, you have a full understanding and have mastered the knowledge and skills presented in this lesson, select the next lesson in the navigation.