Memory palaces and mnemonics

[windowall]

I'm pretty interested in this topic right now. I was wondering if anyone else was familiar with memory palaces or mnemonics and knew about the topic, wanted to provide information for me to learn or just discuss.

Also wondering if anyone has made memory palaces before? Or used mnemonic methods when engaging in research/remembering details regarding your special interest? (Might be more relevant to those who like learning new languages, programming, science and maths?). Honestly this idea of creating memory palaces is perfect for me who is very escapist, imaginative and loves learning and remembering things.

For those who are unfamiliar:

A Memory Palace is an imaginary location in your mind where you can store mnemonic images. The most common type of memory palace involves making a journey through a place you know well, like a building or town. Along that journey there are specific locations that you always visit in the same order. The location are called loci, which is Latin for locations. (Singular: locus; Plural: loci) Wikipedia
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Mnemonics:

A mnemonic device or memory device is a learning technique, system or process used to assist in memory and information retention.
​

There are different Types of mnemonics:

Music mnemonics
Songs and jingles can be used as a mnemonic. A common example is how children remember the alphabet by singing the ABC's.

Name mnemonics (acronym)
The first letter of each word is combined into a new word. For example: VIBGYOR (or ROY G BIV) for the colours of the rainbow or HOMES for the Great Lakes.

Expression or word mnemonics
The first letter of each word is combined to form a phrase or sentence -- e.g. "Richard of York gave battle in vain" for the colours of the rainbow.

Image mnemonics
The information is constructed into a picture -- e.g. the German weak declension can be remembered as five '-e's', looking rather like the state of Oklahoma in America, in a sea of '-en's'.

Connection mnemonics
New knowledge is connected to knowledge already known.

Spelling mnemonics
An example is "i before e except after c or when sounding like a in neighbor and weigh​

Some Examples:

• Order of Operations
  PEMDAS
  Please - Parenthesis
  Excuse - Exponents
  My - Multiplication
  Dear - Division
  Aunt - Addition
  Sally - Subtraction
  
  
• Musicians can remember the notes associated with the five lines of the treble clef:
  Ex: EGBDF Every Good Boy Does Fine.

• Digits can be memorized by their shapes, so that: 0 -looks like an egg, or a ball; 1 -a pencil, or a candle; 2 -a duck, or a swan; 3 -an ear; a pair of pouted lips. 4 -a sail, a yacht; 5 -a key; 6 -a comet; 7 -a knee; 8 -a snowman, or a pair of glasses; 9 -an apostrophe, or comma.

• For example, in trying to assist the learner to remember ohel (אוהל), the Hebrew word for tent, the linguist Ghil'ad Zuckermann proposes the memorable sentence "Oh hell, there's a raccoon in my tent"[17]. The memorable sentence "There's a fork in Ma’s leg" helps the learner remember that the Hebrew word for fork is mazleg (מזלג).[18], Similarly, to remember the Hebrew word bayit (בית), meaning house, one can use the sentence "that's a lovely house, I'd like to buy it."[18] The linguist Michel Thomas taught students to remember that estar is the Spanish word for to be by using the phrase "to be a star".

For me personally, image and connection mnemonics are the most effective and favorited and expression, name and spelling mnemonics do not really help me much.

 

[Apleba]

Hi, that's a very cool topic.

I have created a 'mind palace' some years ago. I use it to calm down and to explore particular symbols/places that I have placed there and which have particular connections with my life and experiences.

I tried to use it for improving my memory as well, but I admit that I haven't put enough effort into that so I didn't get an outcome which I would have liked. I'm pretty sure it works though.

I also like the memory game where you have to remember a sequence of words, I always place them in space as things in my mind and make links among them, and that's how I remember them.

 

[Progster]

I have learned several foreign languages. I don't have any specific mnemonic to learn them, other than to say that I need to see the word written down to remember it. Then I have a visual representation of the word. If I don't know how it is written, I'll probably forget it. I'm not sure how I remember words, I just do. Sometimes I see the word written down, sometimes the sound of it reminds me of something and it is linked to another of my senses, sometimes I remember because I know its etymology or roots.

 

[windowall]

Hi, that's a very cool topic.

I have created a 'mind palace' some years ago. I use it to calm down and to explore particular symbols/places that I have placed there and which have particular connections with my life and experiences.

I tried to use it for improving my memory as well, but I admit that I haven't put enough effort into that so I didn't get an outcome which I would have liked. I'm pretty sure it works though.

I also like the memory game where you have to remember a sequence of words, I always place them in space as things in my mind and make links among them, and that's how I remember them.

How lovely, to create a calm and safe space you can explore inside your own mind when the outer world gets too intense. It also seems like with objects and symbolism this was a form of self analysis for you. Psychoanalysis probably ties into the concept of Memory Palace in a historical way like you described.

I quite enjoy remembering sequence of numbers like Pi etc. but also appreciate any kind of list of word or association in a category like states or cities, etc.

 

[Iamnotarabot]

I used that a lot as a kid , some of them are teached in school aswell, but my mother is like YOU NEED TO FIND A MNEMONIC every time she tried to teach me something.

I dont think it has anything related to asd thought.

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

I used acronyms for exams years ago.

One of the popular memory books was Harry Loraynes how to develop a super power memory.

I used similar techniques to help with imagery to manage anxiety.

I did memorise Harry Loraynes number system at one point.
It is creating images that remind you of the number and making a crazy association about it.
1 is Tie
2 is Ma

Can't remember the rest - you have to use it to remember it.

But it was useful.

I did t get to do a memory palace as other than my exams I went through a time when I didn't want to remember anything!

BODMAS
BOMDAS
Is the famous mathematical one, not sure if it's taught in America.

 

[Nervous Rex]

I have learned several foreign languages. I don't have any specific mnemonic to learn them, other than to say that I need to see the word written down to remember it. Then I have a visual representation of the word. If I don't know how it is written, I'll probably forget it. I'm not sure how I remember words, I just do. Sometimes I see the word written down, sometimes the sound of it reminds me of something and it is linked to another of my senses, sometimes I remember because I know its etymology or roots.

I learned a foreign language and I had the exact same experience: If I can see the word spelled out (either physically or just in my head), I can remember it.

Acronyms are great, but memory palaces wouldn't work for me. I won't remember any imagery or locations at all. My memory is 100% text-based.

On the other hand, my text-based memory is so good that I can read something a few times, then recite it back near verbatim. If I read something 15 times, it's verbatim. I have memorized a lot of poems that way. Two months ago, I memorized two five-minute performances for a pioneer trek re-enactment. In college, when taking a physics exam, I could picture the book in my head and read the answer I needed just as easily as if the book was right in front of me. At work, I've debugged code while away from my computer, because I can still see the code in my head.

Maybe I should try some memory techniques to remember faces.

 

[albinoblanke]

Hello,
my experience with a memory palace and mnemonics was very short but I would suggest reading books by Dominic O'Brien. He was a former 8 times world champion of memory and has written some books about memory.

 

[Gracey]

Before auto correct on devices I knew if a word was written incorrectly because it ‘didn’t look right’

Try different variations written down on paper til it did ‘look right’

It would be the shape of the whole word. All of the letters together formed a shape.
Could see if something was missing, there were too many of one letter, in the wrong order, wrong vowels.
It was all about shapes for me. (Spelling)

 

[Nervous Rex]

Before auto correct on devices I knew if a word was written incorrectly because it ‘didn’t look right’

My spelling used to be perfect, but I’ve noticed it declining in the last few years. I figured it was because I wasn’t reading 4+ hours a day, like I used to. But I think you’re right - it could be due to the ubiquitity of autocorrect.

 

[Peter Morrison]

Memory tricks are very useful. I have often taken well to tunes with the category of words as the lyrics. I also seem to do well by memorizing a chart in my head - I see the character in its proper box. Autocorrect and spell-check are going to ruin our spelling skills, but I am grateful for them as I tend to produce more typos than most people. I can only find errors if I edit my work, which is something we should all do anyway. I like your list of memory skill techniques. I remember when people remembered phone numbers more easily because it was like the game "Simon" on a push-button phone. Today, nobody memorizes phone numbers. Here is another part of our brain that never gets any exercise.