How Can the Use of Mental Images, Concepts and Schemas to Organise Our Thinking Help Us to Improve Our Memory?

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  • Topic: Memory, Idea, Mnemonic
  • Pages : 3 (961 words )
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  • Published : January 31, 2013
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How can the use of mental images, concepts and schemas to organise our thinking help us to improve our memory?

In this assignment I have been asked to discuss the purpose of using mental images, concepts and schemas. I will explain why these aspects are an important tool in improving our memory techniques and organising our thoughts. There are many ways the human brain can organise and store our thoughts and memories. I have discovered two ways of thinking and thought organisation. These are known in psychology as Semantic & Iconic thought. Semantic thought is known as thinking in words whilst Iconic thought is thinking in mental images. When we are learning, images are memorised as a visual cue to help recall a specific word or phrase. By previously memorising these images, the effort in forming the memory is more likely to be remembered. This has proven to be a successful way of learning a new language. In the starting with psychology text book Spoors et all (2011) shows an example of learning a new French word by making a picture of a bin in the shape of a bell that has an unpleasant smell. This image would encourage the learner to remember the translation of “Poubelle” from forming the image in their mind. Raugh and Atkinson (1975) also experimented with the key word technique (combining words with a visualisation) when teaching Spanish in two separate groups. One group of participants were taught just by learning the direct translations, the other using the mental image technique and key words. The group who had studied both the images & key words scored higher when tested than those who had just been given the key words. This proves the theory of images help us to remember better. Another way of learning with mental images is also known as a Mnemonic or memory strategy. “A mnemonic, or mnemonic device, is any learning technique that aids information retention. Mnemonics aim to translate information into a form that the human brain can retain...
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