Transcript
Are you bad with names? Let's change that in 93 seconds. Michael. This study tested two methods for remembering names for a combined improvement of up to 400%. And the most effective one is so simple, you'll probably get annoyed when I tell it to you. Welcome back to 30 studies to change your life. Learning Optimization Week. Last time we covered how the three pillars of memory are the initial sensory experience, the encoding step, and the retrieval step. This study targeted two of the three and wanted to see if they produced separate, stackable buffs. I mean, benefits. First in a laboratory environment, then at a party. In the lab, they were given booklets with a first and last name combo on each page, and they had to flip through them in order trying to remember each name. At the end, they were given the first names and had to recall the last names, or try. But they were split into four groups, and here's where it gets interesting. In the control group, they were given each name four times. Interspersed. Sort of like if you were studying by just trying to reread your notes or the textbook. The second group was instructed in a technique called semantic elaboration. They were told to try and think about the sound or meaning of each name and produce visual imagery that's associated with it. For example, for Bob Baker, you might imagine a big guy in front of a bucket of water, bobbing for baked bread rolls, sort of like you would for apples. This strengthens the encoding step. The next group was given retrieval practice. Rather than have each full name appear in the booklet four times, each time after the first, they were only given the first name and told to try and recall the last name. Remember, each time you recall a memory, you strengthen it, and have to re-encode it. And then the fourth group used both of these techniques combined. The first C-4 times group recalled less than 20% of the names, but adding in the semantic association technique more than doubled that, which was also pretty much the same result as with the retrieval practice group. But because they're acting on synergistic steps, combining the two jumped the total recall up to around 70%. That's four times the control group. But that was in a lab, which is sort of like studying, so still useful. But what about remembering names at a party, which they also tested? We'll cover that next time.
Additional notes
Replying to @Elijah Ryberg Here are 3 more examples for how to apply the “semantic elaboration” technique, and an added tip. 1. John Miller - Picture John Green (or the first famous John you think of) wearing an apron and covered in flour from the mill. 2. Elizabeth Clark - Picture Elizabeth (the queen or Swan from Pirates) making out with Clark Kent. 3. David Anderson - Picture the famous marble statue of David fighting Neo from the matrix. One key limitation of this method is that it focuses on using the imagery to CONNECT the first and last name by combining them in an image, but it still relies on being cued by one or the other, as they did in the study. To make this method even more robust for when you meet someone in person, try to include the appearance of that person in whatever mental image you are building. E.g. for 1: Picture John Green on top of this person’s shoulders. 2: This person is in between the makeout session, with an embarrassed look. Or joining in? 🤔 3. This person is referee for the fight. #science #memory #memorytechniques #student #learning #psychology #neuroscience 📚 Study DOI: 10.1002/acp.1115