There are skills that you can live without. But it is worthwhile to master them and the quality of life is noticeably improving. For example, mnemonics. I learned how to invent associations - and now you remember all the passwords and names of new acquaintances, and English words are learned without tedious cramming. And to train the memory to store information and play it on first request at any age. The article will tell you when the first mnemotechnics appeared and which of them are popular today. And also - why do you need to get acquainted with yourself in order to make the training most effective.
What is mnemonics
A mnemonic technique is all the algorithms created to isolate, structure, memorize, save and reproduce information using additional associations. They say about mnemonic techniques as "the art of getting a good memory", because they make it easy to assimilate different knowledge, to recall them on demand. In fact, there are no miracles, just a change in the type of information: we replace numbers with words, we memorize places instead of words, and poems instead of formulas.
General principle consists in the following: a person receives knowledge that needs to be remembered, the brain turns them into images through associations. When it is necessary to recall one of the images, an associative chain is triggered and restores all the information. But the technician, helping to pump their own memory, in fact very much. Using several information coding systems, we enrich our abilities and facilitate memorization.
Mnemonics for easy memorization are taught to preschoolers. Pupils, students memorization techniques help to "write" mental cheat sheets for exam preparation. But the skills obtained are not in vain. Convenient “memories” are created by teachers, politicians, businessmen for their work. They are useful for self-education, preservation of mental, mental health. After all, the brain, like the whole body, needs to maintain physical fitness. Mnemonic is an excellent fitness for the brain that helps to think creatively, memorize and stay in good shape.
Brief history of mnemonics
They say that the ancient Egyptians, Maya Indians used mnemonic techniques. But there is no written evidence and the official date of the art of memorization. Some scientists consider the inventor of the mnemonic of the Greek poet Simonides, who lived in 556-468 BC. e. Others consider the official birth date of mnemonics to be 86 years before Christ, which dates from the first surviving written work.
It is well established that mnemonics has always been closely associated with rhetoric or oratorical skill. After all, not a single speaker or politician spoke to the audience with a summary in their hands. But then, not only his popularity, but also his life often depended on his ability to make ardent, long speeches.
There are whole mnemonic systems in the writings of the Roman orator and commander. Cicero. Others remain relevant today, the techniques formulated by Cicero are still relevant today. But all of them are more suitable for people with visual thinking, as they use visual codes for memorizing.
The founder of the alternative mnemonic technology is considered a Roman orator Quintiliana - The author of the most famous textbook on the rhetoric of the time. He offers simpler memorization methods that are based on "carefully and diligently learning something." The advice offered by Quintillian is similar to modern scientific methods: focus, calm down, breathe in the fresh air, play sports.
In medieval and later times, many scientists traveled around Europe, offering to teach people the so-called memoria technica. The most famous are: the Italian philosopher Giordano Bruno, the French logician Peter Ramus. Different memory technicians used legendary historical figures: Napoleon, Julius Caesar, Theodore Roosevelt, Nikola Tesla.
Types and basic techniques of mnemonics
Neuroscientists who study the nervous system state: the main thing is not to memorize information, but to “remove” it from the storage of memory at the right moment. Therefore, proper memorization is like carefully archived in the desired cells archive. To get data from it, our brain needs a special program. This program must be written in a language that is understandable for specific convolutions and neural connections. That is why the arsenal of mnemonics consists of a large set of techniques.
The main mnemonic techniques used in the XXI century:
Letter code
Numbers or dates are first converted into an alphabetic code by which a visual association is selected.
Example: remember the digital combination. First, each digit is first assigned a letter: 0 - H (ol), 1 - P (az), 2 - D (va), and so by analogy. To memorize the number 12, we use two letters: P and D, from which we compose the word Rodin.
Loose associations
The assimilation of information through emotional ligaments.
Example: remember the name of the new colleague Kuznetsov. To do this, you can imagine it with a hammer at the anvil.
Rhymes
Folding rhymed phrases or small poems that have the right information.
Example: remember the spelling of words conveniently simple rhyme
A lot of eating a cake,
Do not get shorty.
Acronyms or abbreviations
Coming up a phrase where the first letters of words will coincide with the first letters of memorized terms.
for example, need to remember the classification of the kingdom Animals:
Kingdom, Type, Class, Squad, Family, Genus, Species
Tsarsky Terem Ivory Opened Immediately Fish Caused.
Roman hanger method
Find familiar objects and use them as a base for stringing new information.
for example, you need to remember the list of products: cheese, napkins, lemon, soap. Imagine that in your kitchen you cut off a piece of Cheese, eat, wipe your mouth with a Lemon Napkin, then go to wash your hands with Soap.
Six areas of mnemonics:
- Folk. These are all simple rules, rhymes or familiar memorization phrases that we have heard since childhood. For example, many in childhood taught the colors of the rainbow in the phrase: "How Once Jean Ringer Blue Gathered a Lantern".
- Classic. The first trend in history, which was used in the ancient world.
- Pedagogical. It is emphasized by an interesting, simple and durable process of mastering a large amount of material.
- Circus (pop). Used in presentations or shows, so the main thing in this technique is not the fixation of data, but the encoding of information for transmission from the assistant to the main performer.
- Sports. Used by professional mnemonists for competition. The struggle is for the best result in two directions: the speed and volume of the material learned during a certain time.
- Modern. Uses the accumulated theoretical knowledge base, on the basis of which techniques are developed to solve specific problems: studying biochemistry, physical formulas, traffic rules, and preparing for the state examination.
How to choose mnemotechnique for yourself
To pump memory, we do not need to thoroughly know the structure of the brain or the speed with which the neuron moves along the neural grid. Better that we can do - get to know ourselves more closely and find out: what time of the day we are most productive, prefer to listen or watch, love loneliness or company.
For strong associations, the created images should be:
- Large. Links between contrasting sizes are poorly fixed. Therefore, regardless of the actual size of objects, they should be reduced to a comparable value. For example, if you need to remember a cup and a bucket, you should mentally increase the cup to a larger size.
- Multidimensional. These can be three-dimensional images that are conveniently rotated, viewed from different sides.
- Colored. For example, the image of a flower will be remembered better if you imagine bright petals against a background of succulent green leaves.
- Detailed. If you want to learn the emblem of the country, you need to consider its smallest details, select the basic elements, mentally speak everything that you have seen.
And three more rules that relate to memorization:
Rule 1. Sleep does not reduce the amount of memorized information. On the contrary, the transfer of data to the desired part of the brain occurs precisely during sleep. To pack everything you get, the brain needs time and opportunity. That is why scientists advise to have a good sleep before the exam.
Rule 2. To learn it is not necessary to sit quietly. Learning is a very personal process. One needs music, the other can learn only in silence, the third must constantly walk during the preparation for the exam. The main thing is that the chosen method of study is effective for you.
Rule 3. Nontrivial, extravagant, bright things are remembered better than ordinary ones. The more absurd at first glance the association seems, the clearer it will be imprinted in memory.
Mnemonics for life
A good memory is always useful: when you need to remember the phone number of a close friend, the date of birth of a friend or the name of the great-grandmother on the maternal line. But there are periods in life when new memorization tools come in handy most often.
Play and poems instead of school cramming
The game is one of the main sources of emotions for a person. This is especially noticeable in children, but adults also do not miss the opportunity to play or watch exciting competitions. The most important thing in this method is to keep the atmosphere of fun and study regularly. In this way, one can memorize capitals of countries, constants, chemical elements, spelling rules, foreign words.
For example:
Geography. Mozambique is the capital of Maputo: collected mosaic and all messed up.
Chemical elements. Iron, aluminum, chromium - their valence is three.
Three rules of gaming technology: unusual, fun, brightness. Children on the fly grab what makes them laugh or entertain. And also - they get used to the fact that studying is not a boring cramming, but a fascinating occupation.
Associations for learning a foreign language
The art of memorization helps to master any science, but today it is most popular in the study of foreign languages. After all, to build coherent sentences is possible only when you know enough words. Those who are seriously engaged in learning English know that the abstract phrasal verbs are the most difficult to remember. In this case, the method of association helps.
for example, you need to come up with a bright association to the phrases:
Cheer up - do not lose heart. In tune with the chirping of sparrows that bounce on the spot (UP).
Take interest - to show interest. Consonant with the interesting thing you want to take (Take) to consider better.
Servant is a servant. A sideboard appears, beside which stands a servant with a tray.
These mnemonics are not universal, because each person has their own experience and their own associations. But the principle is the same: you need to say the words out loud and think about what words in their native language they are associated with.
findings:
- Mnemonic is a memorization technique based on associations that helps to turn the memorization process into a game of chance.
- Mnemotechnics are good because they give the result almost immediately.
- Memorization techniques will be useful for children to study, parents for business, grandparents for the prevention of Alzheimer's.
- Mnemonic for students is a way to memorize new knowledge through a game of chance.
- To choose a suitable technique for yourself, it is necessary to study your daily routine and habits.
