Study & memory

Many studies, dating back to the pioneering work of the psychologist Ebbinghaus in 1885, have shown that we forget as much as 80% of everything we read within 24 hours. Since then our understanding of human memory has increased dramatically.

In addition to the mapping of information using visual and diagrammatical representations, much of the memory research undertaken in the last 30 years seems to point to three other main techniques that appear to be highly effective in improving memory and recall performance. These are:

Retrieval practice
Spaced repetition
Expanded rehearsal

3MRT software harnesses these techniques.

Retrieval practice

Retrieval practice involves practicing the retrieval of information previously committed to memory. The most effective way to rehearse what has been learned in this way is by self-questioning i.e. re-formulating learned information as a question and an answer.

These techniques are incorporated into both our on-line revision software and as a basis of our InQuizitor product.

Expanded rehearsal

Expanded rehearsal builds on the technique of spaced repetition. Studies have shown that by spacing repeat reviews at increasing intervals (i.e. 24 hours, seven days, four weeks, and 12 weeks) the storage of information in the long-term memory and its recall at a later date is maximized.

3MRT gives your learners the option to automatically schedule 24hr, 7-day, and 30-day repeat reviews or tests in an online study calendar, with an e-mail reminder.

Spaced repetition

Spaced Repetition involves the repeated reviewing of previously studied material. This is what most students normally think of as "revision" or "cramming" - however, it has been found to be important to space the repeat reviews out at intervals.

Both our InQuizitor and revision systems give learners an opportunity to apply this technique.

Cellular and biochemical theories

Mapping and the other techniques used by 3MRT appear to work by either creating a maximal number of "physical" associations during the act of consolidating a memory, or exploiting such associations during recall, leading to increased connectivity between neurons.

This increased connectivity is thought to come about in one of two ways:

Firstly, it may occur as a result of more efficient neurotransmission between nerve cells through the activation of certain genes. In other words, a memory becomes a "life-long" memory when genes are "switched on" in the nerve cells containing that memory.

Another theory is that repeated stimulation of a memory pathway causes the release of a growth activating protein that promotes the laying down of new synaptic contacts between cells.

Scientific References

Bloom,K.C., & Shuell, T.J. (1981). "Effects of massed and distributed practice on the learning and retention of second-language vocabulary". Journal of Educational Research, 74,245-248.

Bruce, D., & Bahrick, H.P. (1992). "Perceptions of past research". American Psychologist, 47,319-328.

Camp, C.J., & McKitrick, L.A. (1992). "Memory interventions in Alzheimer"s-type dementia populations: Methodological and theoretical issues". In R.L. West and J.D. Sinnott (Eds), Everyday memory and aging: Current research and methodology (pp. 155-172). New York: Springer-Verlag.

Challis, B.H. (1993). "Spacing effects on cued-memory tests depend on level of processing". Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cogntition, 19, 389-396.

Dellarosa, D., & Bourne, L.E. (1985). "Surface form and the spacing effect". In R.L. Solso (Ed), Theories in cognitive psychology: The Loyola Symposium (pp. 123-144). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Dempster, F.N. (1987). "Effects of variable encoding and the spaced presentations on vocabulary learning". Journal of Educational Psychology, 79,162-170.

Di F.J. Vesta, & Smith, P.A. (1979). "The pausing principle: Increasing the efficiency of memory for ongoing events". Contemporary Educational Psychology, 4,288-296.

Duke, L.W., Haley, W.E., & Berquist, T.F. (1991). "Cognitive-behavioural interventions for age-related memory impairment". In P.A. Wisocki (Ed), Handbook of clinical behaviour therapy with the elderly client (pp. 245-272). New York:Plenum.

Glenberg, A.L., & Lehman, T.S. (1980) Spacing over 1 week. Memory & cognition, 8, 528-538.

Glover, J.A., & Corkhill, A.K. (1987). "Influence of paraphrased repetitions on the spacing effect". Journal of Educational Psychology, 79, 198-199.

Herrmann, D.J., Buschke, H., & Gall, M.B. (1987). "Improving retrieval". Applied Cognitive Psychology, 1,27-33.

Kahana, M.J., & Greene, R.L. (1993). "Effects of spacing on memory for homogeneous lists". Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 19, 159-162.

Landauer, T.K., & Bjork, R.A. (1978). "Optimal rehearsal patterns and name learning". In M.M. Gruneberg, P.E.Morris, & R.N. Sykes (Eds.), Practical aspects of memory (pp. 625-632). London: Academic Press.

Payne, D.G. (1987). "Hypermnesia and reminiscence in recall: a historical and empirical review". Psychological Bulletin, 101, 5-27.

Reder, L.M., & Anderson, J.R. (1982). "Effects of spacing and embellishment for the main points of a text". Memory & Cognition, 10,97-102.

Roediger, H.L., & Payne, D.G. (1982). "Hypermnesia: the role of repeated testing". Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 8, 66-72.

Roediger, H.L., Payne, D.G., Gillespie, G.L., & Lean, D.S. (1982). "Hypermnesia as determined by level of recall". Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behaviour, 21,635-655.

Roediger, H.L., & Thorpe, L.A. (1978). "The role of recall time in producing hypermnesia". Memory & Cognition, 6,296-305.