Effects of instruction on learners’ ability to generate an effective pathway in the method of loci

Abstract

One of the most effective mnemonic techniques is the well-known method of loci. Learning and retention, especially of sequentially ordered information, is facilitated by this technique which involves mentally combining salient loci on a well-known path with the material to be learned. There are several variants of this technique that differ in the kind of path that is suggested to the user and it is implicitly assumed that these variants are comparable in effectiveness. The experiments reported in this study were designed to test this assumption. The data of two experiments show that participants who are instructed to generate and apply loci on a route to their work recall significantly more items in a memory test than participants who are instructed to generate and apply loci on a route in their house. These results have practical implications for the instruction and application of the method of loci.

Virtually overcoming grammar learning with 3D application of Loci mnemonics?

“…This may have occurred when list objects were not sufficiently distinct from other objects in the virtual world. The more distinct an object is (Massen, Vaterrodt‐Plünnecke, Krings, & Hilbig, ), the better the chance that it will be remembered and the smaller the risk of interference. Another possible reason for occurrence of such intrusions is that because there was no penalty for wrong answers, participants may have concluded that reporting any word could only enhance their result and used liberal response criteria.…”

The analogy between dreams and the ancient art of memory is tempting but superficial

“…As Llewellyn's "lawsuit" example illustrates, a well-structured tableau containing very closely spaced locations may be effective; dream imagery may be much like this. Note, however, that such closely spaced MoL landmarks are less effective than are distantly spaced landmarks, such as one's route to work (Massen et al 2009). Nonetheless, this argument implies that dream locations may be irrelevant to dreaming's memory function; the essential ingredient may be the formation of composite dream images.…”

“…1) after purportedly identifying the remains of comrades crushed in a temple collapse solely from his memory of where they were sitting before he fortuitously left the building. The MoL became common in Greek oral traditions and remains among the most effective mnemonic techniques (Massen et al 2009;Verhaeghen & Kliegl 2000). The MoL facilitates memory for both abstract and concrete material (Wang & Thomas 2000), is especially effective with serially ordered material (e.g., episodic memories) and is most effective when the imagined pathways used are self-generated versus other-generated (Bellezza & Reddy 1978).…”

The method of loci (MoL) and memory consolidation: Dreaming is not MoL-like

“…1) after purportedly identifying the remains of comrades crushed in a temple collapse solely from his memory of where they were sitting before he fortuitously left the building. The MoL became common in Greek oral traditions and remains among the most effective mnemonic techniques (Massen et al 2009; Verhaeghen & Kliegl 2000). The MoL facilitates memory for both abstract and concrete material (Wang & Thomas 2000), is especially effective with serially ordered material (e.g., episodic memories) and is most effective when the imagined pathways used are self-generated versus other-generated (Bellezza & Reddy 1978).…”

“…As Llewellyn's “lawsuit” example illustrates, a well-structured tableau containing very closely spaced locations may be effective; dream imagery may be much like this. Note, however, that such closely spaced MoL landmarks are less effective than are distantly spaced landmarks, such as one's route to work (Massen et al 2009). Nonetheless, this argument implies that dream locations may be irrelevant to dreaming's memory function; the essential ingredient may be the formation of composite dream images.…”