MEMORY, LEARNING & IMPROVING CONCENTRATION

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What is memory?

Memory refers to the processes that are used to acquire, store, retain, and later retrieve information.

In psychology, memory is broken into three stages: encoding, storage, and retrieval.

The Memory Process

• Encoding (or registration): the process of receiving, processing, and combining information. Encoding allows information from the outside world to reach our senses in the forms of chemical and physical stimuli. In this first stage we must change the information so that we may put the memory into the encoding process.

• Storage: the creation of a permanent record of the encoded information. Storage is the second memory stage or process in which we maintain information over periods of time.

• Retrieval (or recall, or recognition): the calling back of stored information in response to some cue for use in a process or activity. The third process is the retrieval of information that we have stored. We must locate it and return it to our consciousness. Some retrieval attempts may be effortless due to the type of information.

Problems can occur at any stage of the process, leading to anything from forgetfulness to amnesia. Distraction can prevent us from encoding information initially; information might not be stored properly, or might not move from short-term to long-term storage; and/or we might not be able to retrieve the information once it’s stored.

Types of memory :

Sensory memory

Sensory memory allows individuals to retain impressions of sensory information after the original stimulus has ceased. One of the most common examples of sensory memory is fast-moving lights in darkness: if you’ve ever lit a sparkler on the Fourth of July or watched traffic rush by at night, the light appears to leave a trail. This is because of “iconic memory,” the visual sensory store. Two other types of sensory memory have been extensively studied: echoic memory (the auditory sensory store) and haptic memory (the tactile sensory store). Sensory memory is not involved in higher cognitive functions like short- and long-term memory; it is not consciously controlled. The role of sensory memory is to provide a detailed representation of our entire sensory experience for which relevant pieces of information are extracted by short-term memory and processed by working memory.

Short-term memory

Short-term memory is also known as working memory. It holds only a few items (research shows a range of 7 +/- 2 items) and only lasts for about 20 seconds. However, items can be moved from short-term memory to long-term memory via processes like rehearsal. An example of rehearsal is when someone gives you a phone number verbally and you say it to yourself repeatedly until you can write it down. If someone interrupts your rehearsal by asking a question, you can easily forget the number, since it is only being held in your short-term memory.

Long-term memory

Long-term memories are all the memories we hold for periods of time longer than a few seconds; long-term memory encompasses everything from what we learned in first grade to our old addresses to what we wore to work yesterday. Long-term memory has an incredibly vast storage capacity, and some memories can last from the time they are created until we die.

Let’s take a look at some useful internal memory strategies the next time you have an important test coming up!

Memory strategies

1. Understand the Material

Before you even start memorizing your study material, you need to understand it. Do this by finding a connection between your study materials and something you have already experienced. The more you can relate the material to what you already know, the easier it is to learn and remember.

2. Have The Right Study Environment

Paying attention is incredibly important when studying. Without paying attention, you will not be able to process the concepts you are learning. Something that greatly affects your attention is the environment in which you are studying. Make sure you study in an environment that is free from distractions such as television, music, and loud talking.

This also means not being distracted by other people. If you have a roommate, you may want to ask them to give you some privacy. If you have children, ask your partner or a friend if they could take them out so that you can focus on your work.

3. Space Out Your Work

Make sure that you do not cram too much work into one study session. When scheduling your study slots, stretch out your work over numerous days.

Be sure to only focus on small quantities of material at a time.  The fewer new concepts you need to learn in each study session, the easier it is to remember the information.

4. Repetition

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect!

In order to truly master a new concept or skill, you need to practice it over and over again. Doing so will help you store this material in your long-term memory. You can practice this material in a number of ways, including writing, saying, or drawing the information.

5. Organize Your Learning Material

Understanding a concept becomes easier when you understand where it fits in the bigger picture. This means grouping related concepts together. You can do so by showing the relationships between items using graphic methods such as Venn diagrams and mind maps. This strategy also helps you to understand each concept’s relevance.

6. Use Mnemonic Methods

Come up with a rhyme, joke, or song to remember some concepts. If the method you use is catchy, it will become much easier to remember the concept. It is also easier to remember concepts when they are associated with something you are familiar with.

7. Think in Pictures and Colors

Many people are visual learners. If you are, try to visualize the material that you are studying. You can do so by paying attention to the photographs and other graphics that appear in your textbook.

If there are no graphics in your textbook, you can make graphics of your own. Draw pictures and diagrams to accompany your notes, or use different colors to highlight important points and group related concepts together.

Using pictures and colors can make seemingly boring material more interesting and memorable.

8. Association

If the material is unfamiliar, think about how it relates to things that you already know. Try to establish a connection between the study material and people, places, situations, or feelings that you are already familiar with.

This gives the new material context, and make it easier to remember as you think about the things that you are already familiar with.

9. Acronyms

An acronym is a word that is made up of the first letters of a group of words.

If you have a list of terms that you need to remember, making an acronym is an effective study technique. By using an acronym, you will immediately be reminded of the first letter of each term, thereby making it easier to remember the entire list.

10. Talk About What You’ve Learned

Just like you have visual learners, there are also people who learn through talking. Speak to a friend or family member about the concepts you’ve learned. By having a debate or a two-way discussion with them, you will be able to speak about the topic on a deeper level and develop a better understanding of it.

What is concentrating?

Concentration is the ability to direct one’s attention in accordance with one’s will.

During concentration, the mind focuses on the object of concentration, and only one thought occupies the mind. The whole energy of the mind becomes concentrated on this one thought.

Ways to improve concentration :

Mindfulness. "Mindfulness is about focusing attention on the present moment, and practicing mindfulness has been shown to rewire the brain so that attention is stronger in everyday life," says Kim Willment, a neuropsychologist with Brigham and Women's Hospital. She recommends sitting still for a few minutes each day, closing your eyes, and focusing on your breathing as well as the sounds and sensations around you.

Cognitive training. Computerized cognitive training games aim to improve your response times and attention. Evidence that this works has been mixed. "The goal of playing these games is not to get better at them, but to get better in the cognitive activities of everyday life," Willment says. "But there is evidence that a person's ability to pay attention can be improved by progressively pushing the person to higher levels of performance. So if you reach a certain level of sustained attention, pushing it to the next level can help improve it, and this may translate to everyday life."

A healthier lifestyle. Many aspects of a healthy lifestyle can help attention, starting with sleep and exercise. "There is a direct link between exercise and cognitive ability, especially attention," Dr. Daffner says. "When you exercise, you increase the availability of brain chemicals that promote new brain connections, reduce stress, and improve sleep. And when we sleep, we reduce stress hormones that can be harmful to the brain, and we clear out proteins that injure it."

S3Qr ???

SQ3R is a Reading/Study formula designed to help process and increase retention of written information.

It consists of the following five steps. You can find out about them in this video.

I hope you understand about what is SQ3R method and use it in ur daily life as students.

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