Memory Champion
Cognitive Psychology and My Memory
Just past semester I have taken a Cognitive psychology course at Loras College where we emphasized the importance of memory. Throughout this course, we have been researching the many ways we can improve our memory. This course had also demonstrated that knowledge is structured in memory, which is the determinant for our ability to retain, and recall information. One process that helps us achieve this is the path of a Memory Champion. This process has helped me understand my greatest weaknesses and strengths when trying to improve my memory processes. A memory technique I focused on was the method of Loci. This method helps create associations with places, and things that might have been considered meaningless at one time. That is why one of the areas I thought to be interesting was improving my memory for one of my hobbies. Tarot card reading dates back many years, and understanding the reading takes a great deal of memorization. The start of my journey with the memorization of 78 tarot cards had proved my weakness in different areas. Such areas included my ability to retain and process information to create long-term memories associated with a tarot reading. Therefore, I will be looking at the different strategies of Loci, and how individuals can use them when trying to remember and improve their memory.
During the first week of my memory champion progress, I was able to identify the meaning of 15 different cards in the tarot deck. This was a product of information I had already retained due to repetition. Although I was off to a good start I still had to learn over 80% of the deck. Each 78-card tarot deck has two distinct parts. The major arcana (greater secrets), which include 22 cards of no suits: The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgement, The World, and The Fool. The minor arcana (lesser secrets) include 56 cards, divided into four suits of fourteen cards each: swords, batons, coins, and cups. Therefore, I had a lot of associations to make, and stories to make up in order to memorize the cards the best. For this memorization, I used a technique called the loci also referred to as the perfect elephant path.
The elephant path is all about the perfect association derived from the method of loci (MOL). This method of loci is an ancient strategy used to enhance and recall information. This method also talks about an individual's ability to best remember places, and things they are familiar with (Qureshi, et. al., 2014). This Cognitive psychology course had demonstrated that knowledge is structured in memory, which is the determinant for our ability to retain, and recall information. This is why the loci method is perfect for this type of applied project. The MOL relies on creating relationships between familiar locations and recollection of memories. [e.g., places, or areas that are familiar are then referred to as “memory places”.]This can also be called a mnemonic device that relies on spatial relationships. Mnemonics are strategies used for encoding information so it is more memorable. Thus, this helps impose meaning and structure the material you are focusing on (Qureshi, et. al., 2014).
Due to its ability to easily facilitate repeated access to memory, a study explored its potential to help students recall concepts associated with their studies (Qureshi, et. al., 2014). They had used the MOL to see whether or not it will help students in medical school better remember the material they were learning. The students were divided into two groups where group one had been taught about the subject through lectures and self-directed learning sessions; whereas group 2 was taught the subject through lectures and MOL. Group two showed significantly improved performance on the assessments compared to group one. In conclusion, the researchers were able to determine the ways MOL facilitates student learning. First, by helping the students retain the new information, second, by helping the students develop new self-learning skills, and lastly, by suggesting this as a tool for studying.
Another interesting study used the method of Loci in virtual reality (Reggente, et. al., 2020). Participants in this study used three virtual environments to serve as the “memory places”. In each of these virtual realities, participants were presented with a sequence of 15 different 3D objects for 20 seconds each. Group one (the experimental group) was given the ability to click on each object to lock it into place. In the second group, the (control group) did not have this function. It was found that the experimental group had been able to recall 28% more objects than the second group. These results help provide more evidence for this spatial process that underlies the effectiveness of the method of loci.
These studies helped provide me with evidence that the loci method can be used to improve my memory. This method created the elephant path that can be broken down into seven steps. The first step from an article written by Florian Delle in 2009 focused on how we can create the perfect story to remember things. This truly just emphasizes focusing on painting a picture that is relatable and memorable. This essentially is all about the perfect association. The first step of this path focuses on imagining it, hearing it, and visualizing it. This brings your stories to life and helps create an association between a place and a memory. For instance, when memorizing The Sun card in the tarot deck I would envision myself in my room where the sun was signing in on the shadows on my walls. These shadows represented my subconscious and the sun represented me shedding light on those things. This story I created helped me visualize the experience with the card leading to better encoding and long-term memory.
The second step focuses on thinking outside of the box. If we create a unique story that has meaning to us then we will better be able to memorize it. For example, my tarot cards are unique to me because I was given them. Since I was given them each time I do a shuffle I create a narrative. This narrative can be either good or bad and essentially helps me create a story unique to me and unique to the cards.
The third step is creating movement. This helps put the stories you create into a different perspective. Stories full of motion are easier to remember than stories you think of as an image. For example, the tower card represents how something in the foundation of your life is being affected. Seeing the lightning strikes and fire in this picture helps me better visualize the meaning of the card.
The fourth step is increasing or decreasing the size to captivate the importance of the memory. When trying to remember cards with similar suits, the quantity changes the meaning. Therefore, I knew when following the loci method that each suit had to have a different meaning and different location. Each card with the same suit might have had the same underlying meaning but on a different scale.
The fifth step emphasizes the importance of sex fantasies. This helped me memorize cards associated with love, femininity, and masculine energy. By getting these cards such as “The Lover” card, I could imagine a place where the meaning would be represented. Since this card represents the balance between the two masculine and feminine energies I would imagine myself at a wedding where everything was at equilibrium.
The sixth step is the easiest of the steps. This step helps bring the stories and places to life by adding color. The color in the stories creates associations with each card. Since the deck I use is colorful I am able to create a story of them full of visuals that are appealing and memorable. For example, the magician card represents the fulfillment of your manifestations and new beginnings. I visualize the man in this card sending this fulfillment towards the yellow sky with his wand. This vivid colorful story then helped me memorize it and associate it with positivity.
The last step emphasizes repetition. I was able to utilize this when I would sit comfortably in my room each time I would go through the whole deck. I created an association with my room and the deck so I could be in an area I recognize.
Overall, my experience with the loci method or elephant path had proven effective when trying to memorize more of the 78 cards in the tarot deck. At the beginning of the semester, I started out with just 15 out of the 78 cards memorized. Towards the middle of February, I now know 40 out of the 78 cards.
Sources
Reggente, N., Essoe, J., Baek, H., & Rissman, J. (2020). The Method of Loci in Virtual Reality: Explicit Binding of Objects to Spatial Contexts Enhances Subsequent Memory Recall. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, 4(1), 12–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s41465-019-00141-8.
Qureshi, A., Rizvi, F., Syed, A., Shahid, A., & Manzoor, H. (2014). The method of loci as a mnemonic device to facilitate learning in endocrinology leads to improvement in student performance as measured by assessments. Advances in physiology education, 38(2), 140–144. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00092.2013.