Do you want to know how we are able to remember things? Read this article to discover more about the human memory.
The mystery of human memory is one of the main scientific issues of the 21st century, and it will have to be solved by the joint efforts of chemists, physicists, biologists, physiologists, mathematicians and representatives of other scientific disciplines. And although we are still far from fully understanding the principles of how memory works – what happens to us when we “remember”, “forget” and “remember again”, important discoveries of recent years point the right way.
Demonstration of incredible memory and the secret to remarkable memory
Throughout history, some people demonstrated extraordinary memory.
Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great knew by sight and by name all their soldiers – more than 30,000 people. Moreover, mathematician Leonardo Euler amazed everyone with an extraordinary memory for numbers. He remembered the first six powers of all numbers up to one hundred. Academician A.F. Ioffe used the table of logarithms from memory.
Another remarkable person is Russian academician, S.A. Chaplygin. He could accurately dial the phone number he accidentally called once five years ago.
The secret of their extraordinary memory is actually quite simple – they visualized information, making the information a lot easier to retain. For instance, if you want to memorize formulas, try and visualise them in the form of funny stories or link these formulas to a funny clip you scrolled through on the internet. Using this method, you make these formulas more memorable for your brain and therefore easier to remember.
Types of human memory
There are lots of types of human memory and here are a few.
Long term memory
Short term memory
RAM
Motor memory
Figurative memory (Visual, Taste, Tactile, Auditory, Olfactory)
Difference between Involuntary autobiographical memories and voluntary autobiographical memories
Involuntary autobiographical memories are explicit memories of personal events that come to mind with no preceding attempt at retrieval. An example of such a memory is when a song we heard in the mall is stuck in our head. Their counterpart is voluntary autobiographical memories – that is, personal memories that follow a controlled, strategic retrieval process.
How to improve your memory?
Many types of human memory can be improved if the right actions are taken. These include such as:
—Special exercises, use of mnemonic methods.
—Compliance with the sleep regime and regular rest.
—Stabilization of the diet, taking vitamin complexes on the advice of a doctor.
—Sports, physical activity and regular walks in the fresh air.
Citations
1. Helping Students Learn by Using Ancient Memory Devices – Teaching@Sydney. educational-innovation.sydney.edu.au/teaching@sydney/helping-students-learn-by-using-ancient-memory-devices/.
2. Heerema, Esther. “9 Types of Mnemonics to Improve Your Memory.” Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 28 Aug. 2015, www.verywellhealth.com/memory-tip-1-keyword-mnemonics-98466.