Memory

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Summary

Enhancing Memory

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Summary Enhancing Memory

Visual Imagery

Some well-known memory improvement methods involve using visual imagery to memorize or recall lists.

Method of Loci

When using the method of loci, people might picture themselves walking through a familiar place. They imagine each item on their list in a particular place as they walk along. Later, when they need to remember their list, they mentally do the walk again, noting the items they imagined along the path.

The Link Method

To use the link method, people associate items on a list with each other. For example, if a man wants to remember to buy bread, juice, and carrots at the store, he might try visualizing the peculiar image of himself eating a juice-and-bread mush using carrots as chopsticks.

Peg Word Method

When using the peg word method, people first remember a rhyme that associates numbers with words: one is a bun, two is a shoe, three is a tree, four is a door, five is a hive, six is sticks, seven is heaven, eight is a gate, nine is swine, ten is a hen. They then visualize each item on their list being associated with a bun, a shoe, a tree, and so on. When they need to remember the list, they first think of a bun, then see what image it’s associated with. Then they think of a shoe, and so forth.