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The amazing workings of the brain: Why do memory experts remember more information than ordinary people?
Memory seems to be a universal ability in our daily lives, but why are some people able to remember large amounts of information, such as lists, names, or entire articles, while others cannot? These individuals, known as "memory experts," demonstrate memory abilities far exceeding those of the average person. Where does their ability come from? This has attracted the attention of many scientists. This article will explore how memory experts absorb and recall this information, and whether this ability is learned or innate.
"Among memory experts, both skilled techniques and innate talent contribute to their memory abilities."
The structure of memory technology
The structure of the skills of memory experts has aroused great interest among psychologists. While their innate abilities remain controversial, the techniques used by memory experts are well documented. All memory champions of the current World Memory Championships stated that they used memory strategies such as the method of loci to achieve their memory achievements.
Encoding
Encoding is the process of transforming information into knowledge structures, usually through meaningful connections. Many memory experts say they break long strings of information into smaller, more memorable chunks, such as thinking of "1-9-4-5" as "the year World War II ended." Additionally, many people use prior knowledge to help encode new information, and research has shown that prior knowledge of a subject can significantly improve memory.
"Many memory experts say their memory abilities are built on years of practice and use of effective encoding strategies."
Extraction
When memory experts recall information, they construct a retrieval structure, which is a way of storing retrieval cues without having to use short-term memory. Mainstream extraction methods include hierarchical node and position methods. Memory experts typically use a hierarchical approach to retrieval, meaning they organize information into a structure that facilitates quick retrieval when needed.
Position Method
The method of location is to help memory by associating the object or information to be remembered with a specific place. The process involves three steps, first memorizing a specific area, then associating each item to be memorized with an image, and finally assigning these images to specific locations. The famous memory expert Solomon Shereshevsky is a representative of this method. He recalled information by "walking" through familiar streets.
Brain imaging studies show that memory experts have significantly higher activation of specific areas of their brains during learning than ordinary people.
Speed Up
The final step in the theory of skilled memory is acceleration. With practice, the time required for encoding and retrieval decreases dramatically, allowing information to be stored in seconds. Many memory experts often show significant improvements in performance after repeated testing, demonstrating the power of acquired effort.
Learned Skills or Innate Abilities?
Whether memory experts are naturally gifted or the result of acquired training is still a hot topic of research. Although much evidence suggests that memory expertise is a skill that can be learned through diligent practice and effective strategies, there are exceptions such as the presence of symbiotic senses, whose effects on memory have not yet been clearly explained.
“The fact that some memory experts do not use any form of encoding strategy has revived debate over whether memory advantages are innate.”
Memory expert’s background
There are many well-known memory experts on the market, such as multiple world memory champion Dominic O'Brien and current memory champion Yanjaa Wintersoul, whose achievements Proves the limits of memory. These experts typically have nearly a decade of practice experience and all say their superior performance stems from the consistent use of effective strategies.
Conclusion
Whether memory ability is innate or the result of acquired learning, the continued efforts of memory experts have undoubtedly brought us new perspectives. When we face the complex flow of information in our daily lives, can we also try to learn some of their techniques to improve our memory?
