Memory (Part 8)
The interference of emotional factors (e.g., love, fear, anger, insecurity) can cause forgetting, as can another manifestation of complete concentration—absent-mindedness.
Forgetting can sometimes be attributed to blocking of the item for which recall is desired.
And finally, when a task is completed, it is frequently forgotten because the mind has decided there is no further need to remember anything about it.
Proceeding from investigation of the nature of remembering and forgetting, various authorities have attempted to devise principles, rules, and systems to aid in improvement of memory. Somewhere around 500 B.C. Simonides worked out a system of assigning things to be remembered, a position in space; a method also employed by Quintilian and Cicero.
In the seventeenth century Henry Hudson applied a similar system involving association by visual symbol. A complicated digit-letter system was used as far back as the fifteenth century, appeared in Germany in the seventeenth century, and in England in the nineteenth century; this approach involves considerable practice and is applicable only to rote learning.
It is also useful for theatrical type stunts. Successive-comparism systems—broad associations in a kind of chain systems—have been invented; these often require remembering as much inventive associational material as can be found in the already logically associated material of a well planned text.
Another system was based on paired associates, like pen and ink, and combined number associations with visual imagery of absurd combinations which were presumed to make the combination, and thus the key word, memorable. Known as the Roth Memory Course, its major value is in the field of entertainment and for particular occasions, not for lengthy retention.
Weinland's principles behind memory improvement stress the importance of interest, of selection, of complete attention, of accuracy in the first learning against speed, of proper instruction if necessary, of understanding (meaningful learning), of background associations to reinforce the meaning and discrimination to discern relatedness, of the "mental set" or intention to remember—effective even for a specific length of time, of confidence that we can remember, of a reasonable degree of ego involvement, of specific meaningful associations or connections, of a background of knowledge, of good organization and classification of the material ("A good memory is like a well organized and well maintained filing system/' he writes), of combining whole and part learning, of dividing material to be learned into separate groups in order to simplify the task, and of reinforcing the memory by repetition and use.
Weinland rephrases the above principles for remembering a particular fact:
- Try to see its significance, try to be interested in it, or at least in the value of remembering it.
- Give it your attention, be sure you have it right.
- Be sure you fully understand it.
- Intend to remember it.
- Be confident you can remember it.
- Involve the ego if possible.
- Associate it with other related facts.
- File it in its proper place in your memory system.
- See it as a part of a larger whole.
- If there is a basis for doing so, learn it as part of a small group of related facts.
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