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MEMORY RESEARCH
MAXIMISING MEMORY
Maximising Memory
Memory research
In 1885 German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus conducted what was
landmark research at the time. He found that the power of memory and recall
was boosted when information was consistently reviewed. Put differently,
if we don’t revise or recap on material we will forget it – sometimes up to
50 per cent in the first 24 hours, as illustrated in the diagram below. Even
though this might sound like common sense to many, for various reasons we
don’t always use this information to help us learn in school. The Ebbinghaus
Forgetting Curve has been around a long time but it is still very relevant today
– in fact lots more researchers have since supported this.
The Forgetting Curve
Review 1 Review 2
Review 3
Review 4
Review 5
QUANTITY OF INFORMATION REMEMBERED
100
90
When you are learning brand new material in school your working memory
undergoes a lot of effort. It concentrates and works hard to make sense of the
new information. When you know and understand the new material in the first
place, it’s much easier to begin to make the transfer to long-term memory.
Added to this, because working memory has a limited capacity, it can only
hold that information for a short time, unless and until something else moves
in to take its place. That something else will be the next thing that demands
your attention: a discussion with friends, a different class or even thinking
about what you would like for lunch.
Given what we now know, it is important that we give working memory the best
chance possible to do its’ work, whether in class or when doing homework. In
short, anything at all that distracts you and therefore uses up precious space
in your working memory will be harmful to your learning. That should explain
why distractions like phones etc. are not a good idea in a learning situation.
It also explains why we cannot multitask in the way we think we can and why
cramming for exams is an ineffective strategy.
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
LOREM IPSU M
$
(149 Reviews)
24 hours 3 Days
7 Days
4 Weeks
12 Weeks
Following years of research, Ebbinghaus concluded that because long-term
memory has unlimited capacity, we can master the transfer of information
from working to long-term memory by applying a strategic approach. This
approach is known as spaced practice, which means that the more we review
material, the higher our chances of being able to recall it. But there is a caveat
too: there is an optimal time and frequency for reviews. In our example above,
the optimal time is at 24 hours, 3 days, 7 days and so on. Notice the gap
increases between each review. The optimal frequency is determined by your
current level of knowledge and understanding of the content and by proximity
to the exam. The key to spaced practice is the desirable difficulty created by
the increased time between reviews.
Description
Memory Research
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If you really struggle to avoid distractions, then start for a short amount
of time without the distraction and build up your concentration stamina,
repeat this behaviour consistently and it will become a habit (see section
on habit formation).
Last thing: there are a number of ways we can overcome the limitations of
working memory. Strategies such as dual coding, chunking and using a
range of mnemonics are a few practical examples and we discuss dual
coding later.
Description
Maximising Memory
Copyright © 2021 Inspire Education
Copyright © 2021 Inspire Education
So, when you have finished school don’t be alarmed that you can’t remember
everything you have learned that day. You are human after all and, as we
know, the process of forgetting begins almost immediately after we are
introduced to new material.
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