6D - Mnemonics Flashcards
(13 cards)
Written Cultures
A written culture is a culture where information, knowledge, stories and customs are shared in a written form
Mnemonics useful for retaining and recalling written information include-
- acronym
- acrostic
- method of loci
Oral Cultures
An oral culture is a culture where information, knowledge, stories and customs are shared in an oral form
Mnemonics
A technique used to aid the encoding, storage and retrieval of information
How Do Mnemonics Help?
- they make difficult to remember information easier to remember
- they help you to remember a large number of concepts or the order of a list of information
Acronyms
A mnemonic device in which the first letters of the item form a pronounceable word
The word does not have to be a pre-existing word
How Does Acronyms Enhance Memory?
Encoding-
Acronyms help you chunk information into a single, meaningful unit. Therefore reduces the amount of information needed to be stored in STM, making it easier to encode
Uses elaborative rehearsal by linking letters to meaningful words we already know
Storage-
The acronym forms a single, meaningful unit (a familiar pronounceable word) that is easier to rehearse and transfer into LTM
Retrieval-
Each letter acts as a retrieval cue for the first letter of each word to help bring the targeted information (from LTM) into STM for use
Acrostics
A mnemonic device in which the first letters of the items create a phrase, rhyme or poem
How Does Acrostics Enhance Memory?
Encoding-
Acrostics create meaningful or funny sentences, which make facts more engaging and easier to encode
Uses elaborative rehearsal by linking new information to meaningful words or sentences we already know
Storage-
The unusual or humorous nature (e.g. role of the amygdala) of acrostics make them more memorable, increasing the likelihood of storage in LTM
Retrieval-
Each letter or each word acts as a retrieval cue for the first letter of each word to help bring the targeted information (from LTM) into STM for use
Method Of Loci
A mnemonic device that converts items into mental images and associates them with specific locations to aid memory
How Does Method Of Loci Enhance Memory?
Encoding-
By linking new information to familiar locations, you engage both visual and spatial memory, which strengthens encoding
Strongly uses elaborative rehearsal by associating ideas with well-known environments
Storage-
The mental journey through known places provides a strong mental framework to organise and store information. This will lead to robust storage of the information in LTM
Retrieval-
Each location acts as a retrieval cue that make it easier to retrieve information when it is needed. If the visual association is personal in nature or bizarre, the information will be easier to recall
Songlines (Oral Cultures)
are sung narratives of the landscape that weave across the country and enable every significant place in Aboriginal Dreamings to be remembered
Information that is performed, especially using music is far more memorable than information presented as prose. Consequently, narratives that encode information are far more memorable when encoded in song and repeated using song cycles
Sung Narratives
They are stories that share important ecological, cultural and survival information through the use of singing, harmony and rhythm
The rhythm and narration in the songs can help to encode, store and retrieve information about survival and culture
The use of song as an effective way to store and transfer important messages has been known in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities for thousands of years
The songs are sung and performed regularly so that the information in the songs becomes extremely well stored and easily retrieved
A person’s position in the community determines which songs they can hear and perform
Importantly, the songs are an expression of culture and joy, and they assist with the continuation and celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and knowledge
How Do Songlines Enhance Memory?
Encoding-
Songlines involve multimodal encoding – information is stored through song, dance, art, language
This strengthens encoding by engaging multiple senses and memory systems at once
The connection to physical locations also mirrors the method of loci, linking new information to familiar, meaningful places
Storage-
Information is stored across multiple formats, which makes it more durable in LTM
Cultural knowledge is embedded in stories and Dreamings, the structure enhance storage by making the information meaningful and interconnected
Songlines are passed down through generations and regularly performed, this repetition strengthens LTM
Retrieval-
At the significant site, the rituals, the landscape acts as a retrieval cue for Dreamings which content a range of information encoded within the stories, songs and dances performed
