Chapter 16: Improving Your Memory

Question 0

What’s the method of loci? What are some limitations?

Answer 0

~To be remembered items associated with locations
-effectiveness can be diminished by introducing an interfering spatial task
Limitations:
~Difficult to remember an item out of order
~Harder to deal with abstract words or ideas because it involves imagery
~Words better for orally than visually presented material

Question 1

What are naturals vs. strategists? Describe a related study.

Answer 1

Naturals are innately gifted, whereas strategists are highly practiced in certain mnemonic techniques
~Tested both kinds on strategic tasks and nonstrategic tasks
~Results: strategists were only good at strategic tasks, otherwise naturals outperformed them

Question 2

What’s the pegword system? What are some limitations?

Answer 2

~Memorize list of words that rhyme with digits one to ten
~Now imagine each to be remembered item interacting with one pegword
Limitations:
~Requires extensive training
~Easier with concrete nouns

Question 3

Describe a study that shows that mnemonics work by making use of our current knowledge.

Answer 3

Participants: Helsinki taxi drivers or students
Task: remember street names either:
-connected streets presented in real spatial ordering
-connected streets presented in random order
-unconnected streets presented in random order
~Results: drivers outperformed students when connected streets were used, but when unconnected, they were =
~So…drivers’ existing spatial knowledge was an asset only when the materials fit neatly into that structure

Question 4

Why does the testing effect happen?

Answer 4

~Storage strength: relative permanence of a memory trace
~Retrieval strength: accessibility of a given memory trace
~Easy retrieval does not increase storage strength
~Difficult retrieval increases storage strength and leads to LTM performance