The oldest known memory aid is the method of loci, invented by the ancient Greeks at least 2000 years ago. These days there are any number of mnemonics, but while memory champions may swear by them, how useful are they in day-to-day life? Two psychologists, and , attempt to answer this question in their recently published book Mnemonology (Psychology Press, 2010). 鈥淲e tried to cover everything that鈥檚 out there,鈥� says Worthen, of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.
So what did they find? Disappointingly, many mnemonics fail to live up to their reputation. Take the keyword method, which is often taught to language students. To help remember an unfamiliar word, the student creates an elaborate image based on the sound 鈥� the Spanish word for moustache, bigote, might be visualised as a big goat with a handlebar moustache, for example. Although widely used, several studies suggest that this method is of little value to experienced language learners, and even beginners reap minimal benefits. While it slightly improves the accuracy of their memory compared to rote repetition, it also slows down the speed at which they can recall a word.
The phonetic system, in which numbers are encoded as letters, fared little better. Developed in the Renaissance, it is often touted in books on memory improvement, which suggest using it to create memorable phrases from strings of numbers. While there is good evidence that it improves recall, the difficulties of applying the technique led Worthen and Hunt to conclude that it would often be impractical in everyday situations. Even more disappointingly, their analysis revealed that the rhymes and acronyms you might have been taught at school often fail, unless they are particularly witty or apt.
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One mnemonic did stand out, though. Most studies indicate that the method of loci is good not only for memory tricks but also for anyone trying to remember a list 鈥� whether a shopping list or the kings and queens of England. It has even proven its worth in on-the-spot tasks. In one study, a group of high-school students used the technique to accurately remember the contents of a complex lecture, by attaching keywords from the speaker鈥檚 arguments to various locations in their mental map. Still, even this method has its drawbacks. It takes a while to learn 鈥� the students in the study underwent 6 hours of training 鈥� and it is not particularly suited to the kinds of information that need to be recalled spontaneously, such as words in a foreign language. Also, while the method of loci is excellent for remembering spoken lectures, it was no better than rote rehearsal for another group of students who attempted to memorise a written passage.
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