Memory Improving Strategies (Page 38)

Memory Improving Strategies (Page 38)

1. Mnemonic Techniques

   • Visual
     • 1 - Acronoym
       • A word or sentence is formed from the initial letters of other words
     • 2 - Acrostic
       • A poem or sentence where the first letter in each line or word forms the item to be remembered
     • 3 - Rhymes
       • Groups of words with an identity and rhythm
     • 4 - Chunking
       • Dividing a long string of info into memorable chunks
   • Verbal
     • Method of loci
       • The method requires the learner to associate parts of the material to be recalled with different places to be experimented on
     • Keyword method (Atkinson and Raugh)
       • To associate 2 pieces of info - conjuring up the visual image should trigger the recall of the word
     • Mind maps + spider diagram
   • Mnemonic - Any structured technique that is uses to help people remember + recall info

2. Evaluation

   • Research evidence of mnemonics
     • Research on verbal mnemonics
       • Gruenberg
         • From a survey of psychology students revising for final emus - 30% used mnemonics in their revision
           • 'First letter' mnemonics were the most popular
       • Glidden et al.
         • Found verbal mnemonics were effective in children with learning difficulties
           • However their effectiveness over a control group was no longer effective 12 months later
     • Research on visual mnemonics
       • O'Hara
         • Found that training in the use of mnemonic techniques such as loci has long-term memory benefits for older adults
           • Particularly those who continued to use the techniques after the training
       • Atkinson
         • Found that participants trained in the use of keywords learned more Russian vocab than the control group with no training
           • The long-term advantage of the keyword technique is less well supported
     • Limitations
       • Most studies have taken place in lab experiments
         • Studies of real-life classroom applications of the techniques have more mixed results
           • Slavin
             • Though the technique helps learn foreign lang vocal, they have not shown to be effective in helping students speak the language better
   • Explaining how mnemonic techniques work
     • The role of organisation
       • By organising data we establish the links that help recall
       • Bower et al
         • Participants were given 112 words to learn
           • If the words were organised into conceptual hierarchies, recall was 2 to 3x better than if words were presented in random order
     • Elaborative rehearsal
       • Research has shown that enduring memories are created through the process of elaboration
         • Mnemonic techniques make us elaborate the info to be remembered
     • Dual coding hypothesis
       • Paivio
         • Proposed that words and symbols are processed differently
           • Concrete words (can be made into images) are double encoded in memory - coded once as words and then image-based symbols
             • Increases the likelihood of being remembered
               • Known as dual coding hypothesis