Use Association Techniques To Improve Memory

Use Association Techniques To Improve Memory

Maybe you are a bit doubtful in using association as a memory technique that you have learned from books or online websites. You might not believe that it is important that every time you need to memorize certain information you need to create funny or silly association between two pieces of data. This method is proven effective, and it is also employed by psychologists who are experts in studying human memory. Memory works effectively through association, and we are simply expanding of this information to help us recall things effectively.

Here are some characteristics of memory:

1. Memory is recent

We are more likely to recall things when they have occurred recently than those that happened for quite a long time. There is a great possibility that you recall what you had for breakfast today, but not what you ate two months ago.

2. Memory is clear

There is a great possibility that we recall events that are most clear or those events that leave lasting impressions than events that are ordinary. You can possibly remember what you did on your wedding anniversary, or perhaps the World Trade Center collapse, but not what happened a day before that event unless they are quite striking too.

3. Memory is frequent.

We are able to recall things that we experience often, rather than those we experience very seldom. We are more likely to recall your friend’s name or his phone number if you are really good friends rather than the waist line of Britney Spears unless you are an avid fan.

We can benefit from these characteristics of memory. Or instance, we know that if we say a word or phrase over and over again, we can recall it easily.

What about the clear property of memory? Well, when we need to recall two words such as flower and rake, we might think of using a rake to clean the surroundings of a flower. Or it can also be: if a little boy comes to a table which you are happily eating your meal, carry a rake. He then lifts up and shove the rake right into the vase with a flower! Now which of these two images can help you to remember easily? The second one will be more effective because it is more clear and vivid. The rule of thumb is: the funnier the better.

Most psychologists believe that our brain’s capacity to store information is unlimited. This means that our mind cannot be over filled. New data may, however, meddle with the data retained a long time ago, making these older data more difficult to recall. Top avoid this situation, a person can employ a little organization of information inside his or her mind.

For short-term memory, such as recalling the time for your dental check-up or the name of the priest to contact for your child’s baptism, simply do nothing. This is because we don’t need this kind of information permanently and eventually we can forget them.

For long-term memories, such as recalling trivia quizzes, contact numbers, security policy number etc, you should make some extra effort to go over these things because you need them for permanent retrieval. You can do this several times in a day. Then remember the new data at least once a day for a few weeks. By the end of this period, the objects you recall will be permanently retained in your brain.

By using association techniques, you can be sure that you will have better and more accurate memory. Always remember that you need to provide your brain with the proper exercise and nourishment in order to keep it healthy.

BONUS : Use Mnemonics To Improve Your Memory

There are numerous tools that a person can learn in order to improve his or her memory. Improving our memory can help us remember facts accurately and the whole structure of different information.

As with the regular human tools of our mind, the more we practice with these tools, the more we will be effective in using them. Without practice and effort, one cannot have a good memory. Even one does not have the time required to develop the quality of memory, most of our techniques are very useful in everyday living.

One popular tool to improve the memory is mnemonics which are techniques to remember information that are very hard to recall. The general idea in using mnemonics is to instill hard-to-recall-information in a way that they can easily be remembered.

Our brains are very complex that they can encode and interpret sophisticated data such as colors, images, sound, tastes, positions, and language. These stimuli are used to create a visual image of our world and our memories are used to store these images.

Unfortunately, there are numerous information that one should remember today since the boom of information technology and the development of the modern world. While writing is a very good mode for complex discourse, our brains cannot easily document written information accurately.

The best method is to code information using regular images that we can reliably extract information. Since these images are very common, they are easily utilized to recall information that we need.

In using mnemonics, you can use the following categories to help you recall important data:

1. Vivid pleasant images – since brain has the tendency to eliminate negative ideas

2. Colorful images – since our brains have the tendency to recall color

3. Senses – mnemonics can also use sounds, tastes, smell, feelings as well as images

4. Dimension – giving your ideas dimension can make it more vivid and easier to recall. You can also use movements to maintain the flow of memory association

5. Humor and exaggeration– you can have fun while trying to recall data

6. Rhymes – the ears can easily interpret data when they are pleasant

7. Symbols – funny symbols can be associated with an idea quickly and effectively
There are three basic principles in using mnemonics: imagination, location and association. Combining with these principles can strengthen your use of memory techniques.

Imagination is what we use to design and enhance the memory needed to create effective mnemonics. Our imagination is what we use to create memory aids that are effective. The more we use our imagination and see the image, the more it will thoroughly stick to our mind for later use. The image we use in mnemonics can be clear, pleasant, funny, exaggerated or sensual as long as it can help you remember information.

Location can give us two major things: a concrete idea into which we can place data so that it can cling together, that it will not be bundled into other mnemonics. By placing one group of information in a particular location, we can separate it from a similar mnemonic with images of New York for example. We can also build smell, flavors or color of these places into our mnemonics to enhance the location.

Association is a method by which we attribute a data to be remembered such as placing things on top or side by side.