Tags: Memory, Neuroscience, Learning
Memory, within the field of neuroscience and psychology can be defined as the faculty and process within our minds for encoding (getting information into), storing (retention) and retrieving (recall for application) information for use in the world. This is a continual process throughout one’s lifetime and an integral part of human cognition as a framework to make sense of the world, thus playing a critical role in teaching, learning and application.
There are different types and subcategories of memories, each serving its different purposes and potentially interweaving. An example would be learning a new skill — at the beginning the steps are referenced and deliberate, but as time goes along become second nature.
This is due to the theory of ‘Dual-Process’, where cognitive processes and behaviors as an output are from two distinct groups (System 1 and 2). Within this framework lies the various subtypes of memories, such as long/short-term, episodic (past events), semantic (general knowledge) and procedural (motor skills).
Owing to personal differences, disease, general decline or stress due to cognitive overload, our faculties of memory can be prone to decay and degradation. Potentially nonoptimal but sufficient problem solving shortcuts, such as heuristic techniques are typically used as workarounds.
From the perspective of the brain being a muscle, strategies and techniques such as schemas and chunking can be used to improve memory retention and recall. Applied practicality into everyday personal and professional life, this ‘Learning/ Re-Learning to Learn’ can take on the the form of flashcards, reading and summarizing articles or even wordplay tricks, per the example below:
Tom Collins (a cocktail) might be “Tom Gave Lucy Simple Sugar” in terms of ingredients
G = Gin
L= Lemon Juice
S = Sugar
S = Soda Water
The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning — How Memory Works
https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/how-memory-works
Queensland Brain Institute — Types of Memory
https://qbi.uq.edu.au/brain-basics/memory/types-memory
Cocktails Distilled — How to Remember Cocktail Recipes
https://cocktailsdistilled.com/2023/06/05/how-to-remember-cocktail-recipes/
