Interesting Facts about Memory

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  • Date: 05 May, 2017
  • Posted by: Emily Brown
  • Category: Study

Memory is a fascinating thing. Some people seem to have a natural ability to memorize any and every detail while others struggle memorization. Some people have great short term memory, but have difficulty accurately recalling what happened several years ago. Of course, we all know that stress and sleepiness are also memory killers. Are you interested in learning some more interesting facts about memory? Since our services are all about helping college students use their minds, we figured we would take some time to explore some interesting facts about memory.

Storytelling Enhances Memory

People with amazing memories often create stories in order to help them remember multiple facts. For example, if a person needs to remember these five 'facts':

  • Blue pants go with brown shoes
  • A football field is 100 yards
  • Every street in Mayberry runs north to south
  • Brown ducks hate corn
  • Gas is least expensive on Tuesday mornings

They will create a story to help them remember. For example: A man with blue pants was embarrassed because he was not wearing brown shoes. He didn't want to be seen by anybody he knows so he walked 100 yards across the football field to avoid traveling north up 3rd St. in Mayberry. On his way home he tossed some corn in the pond, but the brown ducks ignored it. He was glad that tomorrow was Tuesday and that he would finally be able to put gas in his truck.

Repetition isn't all it's Cracked up to be

At least not in the way you probably think it is. Have you ever attempted to memorize something by repeating it to yourself over and over again? It might work, but it isn't an efficient way to commit something to long term memory. What you are doing is entering the information into short term memory and then pulling that information directly out of short term memory. A better way to memorize information is to read and recite it once, and then engage yourself in another activity such as reading a short story. If you try to remember the information after that you will struggle. This is because it has been pushed from very short term memory to longer term memory. This a good thing, because it is that struggle to recall that will help you remember the information in the long run.

Your Brain Stores Memories like a Fragmented Hard Drive

Each memory you have is stored all over your brain. Every different aspect of a memory might be located in a different part of the brain. The region of your brain that is responsible for bringing that information together is the hippocampus.

Use of Visual Imagery Improves your Ability to Memorize new Information

Anytime you are given a picture, graph, video, infographic, or other visual element to demonstrate new information, you are much more likely to commit that information to memory. This is because your mind connects more quickly to visual imagery than it does to text. 

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