Memory Improvement

Memory Improvement

Method of loci

A mnemonic technique in which various items of informationare remembered by associating them with successive locations. This method is very effective. Boss and Lawrence (1968) found that people using the method could recall more than 95% of a list of 40/50 items. The method of loci is so effective because if provides a way of organising random information in a way that makes use of pre-exisitng knowledge about sequences of locations.

Evaluation

Strength-

• Very effective in improving memory of learning lists of unrelated words or a text presented orally
• Provides a detailed set of retrieval cues

Weaknesses-

• It is harder to use the method when the material to be remembered is abstract because this material doesn't lead to visual imagery
• If the 'to-be learned' material is presented usually there is a danger that it will intefere with the use of visual imagery that is needed with this method
• This method involves treating each item separately which is fine with unrelated words, but would be less effective if the information needed to be integrated
• Reasonable visual imagery ability is required and whilst the same locations can be used repeatedly it becomes hard to recall anything other than the most recent list

Pegword method

A mnemonic technique in which each word on a to-be-learned list is associated with those from a previously learned list, an interactive image is formed of each pair of words.

Evaluation

Strengths-

• It is effective because strong visual images are formed and because the pegwords themselves provide…