The Different Methods Flashcards
The Absurd and Memorable Association
When trying to remember something new, take a memorable aspect of the new information and associate it with a memorable, absurd image or concept. For example, when trying to remember the Zulu word for “dog”, “inja” [eenja], it is suggested to think of an injured dog. Likewise, since the Italian word for “chicken” is “polo”, you can create a picture of people playing polo with a chicken instead of a ball.
The Car Method/The Familiar Place Method
When you have to memorize a (comparatively) short list of ideas, you can picture these ideas as occupying different areas of a familiar environment, such as your car or you house. Since your car or your house are familiar, you are mentally associating something new with something familiar. This is a useful way to remember things in general.
For example, you can picture the Seven Habits of Highly Successful People (as described in the book of the same title by Stephen Covey), you can picture 1) a bee playing pro golf for “Be Proactive” on top of the front fender; 2) a brain (or mind) with two short legs heading toward a sign with the word “end” on it for “Keep the End in Mind” on the hood; 3) a small man standing on the 1st place spot of a podium on the windshield for “Put First Things First”; 4) two trophy goblets on the driver’s-side seat for “Think Win/Win”; 5) a small man sitting underneath an umbrella on the trunk of the car for “Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood” (the man under the umbrella will stand up); 6) a sign balancing on the edge of the rear fender with eyes for “Synergize”; 7) a saw over the rear wheel for “Sharpen the Saw”.
The Body Method
When given a comparatively short list of items, you can use different parts or areas of your own body.
For example, to remember the ten different types of intelligence according to Tony Buzan in “Head First”, picture A) your feet standing on a giant light bulb while covered with interesting artwork (for creative intelligence); B) your knees being circled by the straps of purses (for personal intelligence); C) a massive party taking place on your thighs (for social intelligence); D) an angel undoing the belt on your hips (for spiritual intelligence); E) your abdomen being or becoming extremely toned and sculpted (for physical intelligence); F) your left hand being covered by eyes, ears, noses, and mouths (for sensual intelligence); G) your right hand doing something obscene (for sexual intelligence); H) your mouth spouting numbers and figures (for numerical intelligence); I) a miniature spaceship flying up your nose (for spatial intelligence); and J) your hair shouting and speaking (for verbal intelligence).
The Rhyming Peg Method
When you need to remember a short, ordered list of ideas (preferably ten or less), you can associate the numbers zero through nine with words that rhyme with those numbers. Then associate each of the new ideas with its appropriate numbered “peg” by associating the rhyming word with the new idea.
For example, to begin, we associate a rhyming word with each number from one to ten:
One, bun
Two, shoe
Three, tree
Four, door
Five, hive
Six, sticks
Seven, heaven
Eight, gate
Nine, vine
Ten, hen
memorize “The Ten Emotions of Power” described by author Tony Robbins’ book Äwaken the Giant Within”, picture A) a warm, heart shaped bun for “love and warmth” B) a preacher using a cheese grater on a shoe for “gratitude” C) a cat in a tree (“curiosity killed the cat”) for “curiosity” D) a door jumping up and down (or being battered down) in excitement while smeared with smashed passion fruit for “excitement and passion” E) determined bees in their hive or a determined group of exterminators looking to destroy a hive for “determination” F) a flexible gymnast or acrobat being hit with pliable sticks for “flexibility” G) people wandering about being confident in heaven for “confidence” H) a cheerful gate being opened by a cheerful person for “cheerfulness” I) a growing vine with vitamins growing on it for “vitality” and J) a hen giving you presents and, thus, contributing for “contribution”.
The Rhyming Peg Method can be extended by associating more than one rhyming word for each of the numbers, e.g., one can go with gun, gum, tum, sun, etc.
The Shape Peg Method
This method works just like the Rhyming Peg Method, except that instead of associating each of the numbers with a rhyming word, you instead associate each of the numbers with its “shape” (a zero is shaped like a circle, a 1 is simply a vertical line, a nine is a ball with a hook, etc.). Then, to associate the number with the new concepts, you can picture the concepts twisted into this new “shape” (a soccer ball for zero, a vertical pencil for one, a balloon with a string for nine, etc.).
The Location/Journey/Route Method
This method works by picturing a location, route, or journey with many distinct, marked areas within it. Each of these areas is associated with one of the new concepts to be memorized.
For example, in John C. Maxwell’s book “Today Matters”, he lists twelve “keys” that people can focus on daily to achieve more success and fulfillment. They are 1) Attitude 2) Priorities 3) Health 4) Family 5) Thinking 6) Commitment 7) Finances 8) Faith 9) Relationships 10) Generosity 11) Values and 12) Growth.
This list of twelve items can be memorized by taking a journey through an imaginary house with four rooms and three areas for each room:
A) Kitchen: 1) washing machine 2) fridge 3) stove
B) TV room: 1) chairs 2) TV 3) exercise bike
C) Bedroom: 1) mirror 2) cupboards 3) bed
D) Bathroom: 1) bath 2) shower 3) toilet
Kitchen:
1) A person with a bad attitude throws himself in the washing machine to clean off his attitude (for “attitude”)
2) The fridge has a detailed list of priorities taped to its front (for “priorities”)
3) A healthy bodybuilder makes an apple pie and shoves it into the stove (for “health”)
TV room:
1) A family is jumping up and down on the sofas (for “family”)
2) The TV has a thought bubble coming out of it and influences the viewer’s thinking (for “thinking”)
3) The exercise bike requirements commitment to be used regularly (for “commitment”)
Bedroom:
1) Money is coming out of the mirror (for “finances”)
2) In the cupboards, there are many symbols and objects of faith or worship (for “faith”)
3) On the bed is a married couple (for “relationships”)
Bathroom:
1) From the bathroom, a genie springs up and grants us what we wish (for “generosity”)
2) The shower is made out of gold or gold flows from the shower head (for “values”)
3) A tree and other vegetation is growing out of the toilet (for “growth”)
Using this method has led to an easy way to remember twelve items in order by taking a journey through four rooms in a house.
The Linking Thoughts/Storytelling Method
This method allows for the memorization of a long list of ideas and words by using certain keywords in an ongoing, ridiculous story. This method can also allow for the memorization of many paragraphs or chapters of content in each part is associated with a keyword that is used in the story.
For example, you can memorize the first twelve presidents of the United States by remembering the following story.
You are washing a tin when it suddenly develops an Adams apple. A chef and her son suddenly rip the Adams apple from the tin. They then make medicine, which they give to Marilyn Monroe, who also starts to develop a massive Adams apple. Michael Jackson sees this and runs away screaming into a van with beer in it. The van is being driven by a hairy sun. The sun doesn’t drive very well, and crashes into a tiler tiling his wall. The tiler’s tiles are polka dot tiles. A tailor picks up the tiles and starts tailoring you a polka-dotted suit.
By using these absurd key words and remembering this story, you now have memorized the first twelve presidents of the United States in order:
1) Washington
2) Adams
3) Jefferson
4) Madison
5) Monroe
6) Adams
7) Jackson
8) Van Buren
9) Harrison
10) Tyler
11) Polk
12) Taylor
Remembering Names – Comparison Connection
With this method, you remember a new person’s name by comparing either them or their face with someone with the same name.
For example, if you have just met a George, you might try comparing their face to that of George Clooney. You might also visualize them having two heads, one theirs, and the other, George Clooney’s.
Remembering Names – Face Connection
To remember a new person’s name, associate their name with an outstanding feature of their face.
For example, if you’ve just met a woman with blue eyes named Janice, you might picture a chain of ice coming out of her eyes.
If you’ve just met a Peter with a big nose, you can imagine his big nose being a big pea eater.
Remembering Names – Meeting Location Connection
To remember a new person’s name, you can create an association between their name and the place where you met them.
For example, if you meet a woman by the name of Rose by the buffet table at a hotel, you might picture a bright red rose sprouting from a platter of hors d’oeuvres.
Remembering Numbers – The Word Transformation Method
To remember a number, start by associating each digit with a particular letter or set of letters. Then, use these letters to form a word from the other, unused, “filler” letters.
In this method, the vowels, (a, e, i, o, u) will be unused or “filler”. W, H, and Y will also be filler letters. Zero will have the S, Z, or C sound. One will have the T or D sounds. 2 will have the N sound. 3 is M. 4 is R, 5 is L, 6 is the J, SH, soft CH, or soft G sounds. 7 is the K sound. 8 is the F or V sounds. 9 is the B or P sounds.
So, for example, 78 can be remembered as c(a)v(e). 98 can be remembered as B(ee)f. Etc.
Remembering Playing Cards
To memorize any of a standard deck of 52 cards, first associate each suit with the first letter of its word (d for diamonds, c for clubs, etc.). Then, treating the ace of each suit as a one, create a word for each of the “numbered” cards from 1 to 10 using the “Word Transformation Method” given elsewhere. Finally, for the Jacks, Queens and Kings, each Jack will be simply the name of its suit (“Diamond” for Jack of Diamonds, “club” for Jack of Clubs, etc.), each Queen will use a words that rhymes with “queen” that begins with the suit’s first letter (“dean” for Queen of Diamonds, “cream” for queen of clubs, etc.), and Kings will use a word with “ing” that begins with the first letter of the suit (“sing” for King of Spades, “ding” for King of Diamonds, etc.).
