How to learn to memorize more information with the help of Sherlock Holmes's "palaces of the mind"

Sherlock Holmes performed Benedict Cumberbatch in the series of the same name, he could memorize huge amounts of information, creating the so-called palaces of the mind. This approach is also known as the “loci method”, which was originally developed by the ancient Romans. It involves using the visualization of familiar spaces to retrieve from memory what you have memorized a long time ago.

How does this method work?

For example, you want to memorize your shopping list: apples, wine, bread, and more. Start by imagining a familiar place, such as your home, and then imagine yourself traveling through that space: you walk down the staircase, open the door, enter the corridor, look at the picture on the left, then go to the living room and so on Further.

Then assign each item on your shopping list to a specific room or location and imagine an object. at this point: a bag of apples in the stairwell, a bottle of wine at the front door, bread in the picture, and so on Further. And when you go to the store, just make a mental trip around the house, recreating images as you move, and you will find that even a rather long list will be much easier to remember.

What do scientists say?

Scientists from the Radbaud University Medical Center in the Netherlands conductedDurable memories and efficient neural coding through mnemonic training using the method of loci two experiments in the framework of the study of the method of loci and came to the conclusion that this technique really guarantees more reliable and durable memories.

In the first experiment, the abilities of 17 best athletes, specializing in memory sports, were assessedMemory Sports (Wikipedia) and are familiar with the loci method. The control test showed that these participants memorized an average of 72 words in a given sequence, while ordinary people memorized no more than 43.

In the second part of the study, scientists tested 50 people who did not have outstanding memory characteristics. One group of these subjects underwent intensive training using the loci method, another mastered less rigorous mnemonic techniques, and the third did not prepare in any way.

All participants were presented with a long list of words to memorize in a given order. Both 20 minutes and 24 hours after viewing the list, people trained in the loci method were able to recall significantly more items than others. And after four months, when re-tested, the same participants recalled on average 50 words, the second group, which trained memory in a different way, 30, and the third, which did not prepare in any way, 27.

Why is the method effective?

Scientists decided to understand the reasons for such an effectiveness of the "palace of the mind." They performed MRI scans of the test participants and found an interesting pattern. Anyone who used this mnemonic technique had decreased neural activity in several areas of the brain that play a significant role in the processing of spatial memory.

The researchers write that this drop in neural activity speaks not at all about a "decrease in power", but about a much more rational and efficient work of the brain. The effects in athletes of memory and those who first mastered the loci method were strikingly similar and directly related to the improvement of their abilities.

The scientists added that the technique of loci takes time and regular practice and therefore may not be suitable for those who want to remember something. quickly and for a long time. However, this method will definitely help you pump your memory and achieve much higher or even exceptional performance.

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