The METHOD OF LOCI
Derived from ancient Roman philosophy, the Loci Method, also characterized as 'mind palaces,' is a method of memorization that involves associating the content of memory with a space or building interior that one is very familiar with. It is particularly effective if you learn best by visualization or imagery.
Here is how you can use the Loci Method:
Here is how you can use the Loci Method:
- Think of a place you know well, such as your own house, or your school.
- Visualize a series of locations in the place in logical order. For example, picture the path you normally take in your house to get from the front door to the back door. Begin at the front door, go through the hall, turn into the living room, proceed through the dining room and into the kitchen, and so on. As you enter each location, move logically and consistently in the same direction, from one side of the room to the other. Each piece of furniture could serve as an additional location.
- Place each item that you want to remember at one of the locations.
- When you want to remember the items, simply visualize your house and go through it room by room in your mind. Each item that you associated with a specific location in your house should spring to mind as you mentally make your way through your home.
For Example, if your grocery list consists of peaches, hot dog buns, ketchup, and a birthday cake, you begin by imagining yourself walking up to the doorstep of your house, and finding a giant basket of peaches. Often, it helps to not only visualize the item of memory but also to recall it's smell, taste, and feel. So while you approach the door, you might inhale the smell of peaches, and lean down to touch their fuzzy exterior. After you've opened the front door, you might turn down the hall and picture a few gigantic hot dog buns dancing in the middle of the hallway. Next, you continue into the living room and find another large bottle of ketchup sitting with its legs crossed at the sofa. Upon placing the bottle of ketchup, you make your way through the living room into your kitchen, where a birthday cake (candles lit and all) sits upon the kitchen table. Again, do not only visualize the birthday cake with its candles, but imagine the tune of "Happy Birthday to You" playing in the background as you enter the room.
When utilizing the Loci Method for memorization, it is important to use a building or space that you are very comfortable with, or else it will be much more difficult to remember the items of your choice.
Academic Applications of the Loci Method
The Loci Method is historically known for it's application to public speaking and giving presentations for memory. Essentially, one can memorize a speech or presentation using this method by replacing objects/items with sentences of the speech. This is a little more difficult than memorizing a grocery list, because sentences are not necessarily concrete objects that you can visualize. However, if you find one or two words in each sentence that are physical objects (such as an apple, or a brain), imagine those at the loci, or certain points in your preferred place.
Even while studying from a textbook or a vocabulary list, the Loci Method can be utilized. If you must memorize large amounts of information, simply separate them into chunks, and visualize the series of events within these chunks of information. Once you have a visual picture or story of the information, treat these chunks as the items that you would typically place at each room in your preferred place. For vocabulary, simply transform each word into a memorable visual image, which you will then, like regular items, place at certain points in your house, school, building, etc. While the Loci Method can be utilized in almost every subject, it is much more difficult to use for topics like math or science, in which it would be more effective to use a different method of memorization (such as the Peg Method).
This method is best for VISUAL LEARNERS.
The best uses of the Loci Method include:
Even while studying from a textbook or a vocabulary list, the Loci Method can be utilized. If you must memorize large amounts of information, simply separate them into chunks, and visualize the series of events within these chunks of information. Once you have a visual picture or story of the information, treat these chunks as the items that you would typically place at each room in your preferred place. For vocabulary, simply transform each word into a memorable visual image, which you will then, like regular items, place at certain points in your house, school, building, etc. While the Loci Method can be utilized in almost every subject, it is much more difficult to use for topics like math or science, in which it would be more effective to use a different method of memorization (such as the Peg Method).
This method is best for VISUAL LEARNERS.
The best uses of the Loci Method include:
- memorizing a speech or presentation
- studying a brief vocabulary list
- recalling information out of a book (history, literature, art history)