Shenk states, "handful of famous memory experts ('mnemonists') who've been able to recall prodigious amounts of new and disconnected information" (Shenk 53). Then Ericcson and Chase wanted to know if the mnemonists had innate memory gifts or they have "acquired" their extraordinary skills. Therefore, Ericcson and Chase decided to do an experiment. While the student with the initial S.F. was being tested by memorizing a string of letters and numbers, it showed that S.F. was able to memorize the numbers very fast and efficiently, on the other hand, having a bit of trouble with memorizing long strings of letters. After this experiment, Ericcson and Chase have concluded that "with an appropriate mnemonic system and retrieval structure, there is seemingly no limit to improvement in memory skill with practice" (56).
What do you think was S.F.'s method for memorizing the string of numbers? Why was he unable to memorize a long list of letters in the same way he has memorized the string of numbers? How could S.F. adapt his method for memorizing numbers in order to memorize the long list of letters more efficiently? Just from what the book said (especially the end of the study), would it be accurate to call S.F. a mnemonist? What can you analyze more about the study? Relate back to the Campbell, specifically in 51.2 in order to relate your discussion with the questions. What type of biological concept or theme would this relate to?
Shenk states that S.F.'s ability to memorize a long string of numbers was possible through a "memory palace" technique (55). SF employed clever, spatial, mnemonic devices that only helped him to remember numbers, not letters.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Ericsson and Chase helped to clarify the definition of mnemonists by suggesting that "there is seemingly no limit to improvement in memory skill with practice," implying that nearly anyone can be considered a mnemonist (56). The scientists' study directly relates to a similar study, "PI," performed by Raz et al. and explained on the scientific blog, Neurotopia. In it, another test subject used a similar mnemonic device, Method of Loci, "where the user attempts to associate each item in memory with a spatial location or a visual scene" (Neurotopia). The PI subject was considered a mnemonist in "certain types of memory, but not at memory as a global concept," thus mirroring Ericsson and Chase's findings (Neurotopia).
This all relates to Campbell's description of cognitive maps in section 51.2. "Spatial relationships" "in the nervous system" allow animals to use cognitive maps to "[relate] landmark positions to one another" (1127). Such a technique parallels what SF and PI used to remember necessary information. Superior memory could have been a select advantage for prehistoric humans, which explains the innate memory techniques used in animals and humans alike.
Nathan Ro (nathanro94@gmail.com)
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