2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44
We are talking about the spaced repetition method - an effective way to memorize large amounts of new information, created in accordance with the peculiarities of our brain.
Night, synopsis and energy bank - this unhealthy picture is familiar to everyone. At school, university or at work, we all found ourselves in a situation where we had to learn a huge amount of information in a short time. In this case, almost all of us turn to the centuries-old tradition of reading a textbook over and over again in the hope that at least something will remain in our heads.
This teaching method is not only tedious and monotonous, but also completely ineffective. It is completely inconsistent with how our brain works and functions. Fortunately, the scientists who found this out are ready to offer alternative ways to remember information, taking into account the characteristics of the brain. One of them - the spaced repetition method - claims to be the best and will help you in learning a new language or preparing for an exam.
What is spaced repetition method
To learn how to memorize information using the spaced repetition method, you will need to do the following: divide the information into equal parts, write each passage (in the form of a question and answer) on a card, and then divide them into thematic sections. Make a schedule according to which you will view the maps in each section. If you answer the question correctly, that is, you have learned the information on the card, put it aside. You will look at these maps less often. If the question on the card is difficult, move it to the section for frequent visits.
The beauty of this system is that it can be organized according to your needs. Why does it work? Because it is ideal for our brain and the mechanisms by which it functions.
How the brain works
It is impossible to simply explain how our main organ functions. If we ask ourselves, "How does the brain work?" - then the answer will most likely be something like: "Like a computer." This is not surprising: we live in a digital world and easily connect the two concepts at an associative level.
Nevertheless, we easily forget about the fundamental differences in the principles of the brain and the computer, which relate to the processing and storage of information. The computer stores the information that it was told to keep. However, we have a hard time controlling the brain and its ability to remember information. That is why you can recall the text of the song by Dmitry Malikov, heard several years ago, but you are not able to revive in memory what you just learned by heart.
How the brain creates memories
The second fundamental difference between the brain and the computer is how information is processed. It is very pleasant to imagine how files with information are neatly stacked in our head, each in its own separate cell. But when we imagine that we are opening a certain archive and getting the necessary data from there, we are very much mistaken.
Science tells us that memory is not one specific point in our brain. This is the result of active work, which is stored in various areas. When we learn something, it is not stored in one location, but instantly scatters across different areas of the brain.
In addition, the capabilities of the brain are limited, and it is not yet possible to solve this problem. Scientists say: we are able to memorize no more than five to seven pieces of information at a time.
How to hack the brain
We know that the brain mainly stores information that it considers important. He strengthens the memories of those events and things that he meets most often. Therefore, spaced repetition, based on regular revision of information, uses this very principle of the brain.
Spaced repetition is a simple yet powerful technique that seems to hack into how the brain works. He makes us try to learn information over and over again by training the mind like a muscle. The brain responds to these stimuli and strengthens the connections between nerve cells. In this way, you create long-term memories and, having tried this method of learning once, you will never give up on it. Use assistive tools - applications that help organize and simplify the process.
The trick is that you know what the limitations of your mind are, and you use those deficiencies in your brain to your advantage.
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