It refers to the process of voluntary memorization. Basic processes and mechanisms of memory. The emergence and development of mnemonics

In accordance with the goals of the activity, which includes the processes of memorization, there are two main types of memorization: involuntary and arbitrary.

Involuntary memorization is a product and condition for the implementation of cognitive and practical actions. Since memorization itself is not our goal, we usually say about everything that is memorized involuntarily:

"I remember it myself." In fact, this is a strictly natural process, determined by the characteristics of our activities. Studies show that the place that this material occupies in activity is important for the productivity of involuntary memorization. If the material is included in the content of wasps a new goal of activity, it is remembered better than when it is included in the conditions, ways of achieving this goal.

In the experiments, grade I schoolchildren and students were allowed to solve five simple arithmetic problems... In both cases, the subjects were unexpectedly asked to recall the conditions and numbers of problems. Grade I schoolchildren memorized almost three times more numbers than students. This is due to the fact that the ability to add and subtract has not yet become a skill for first graders. It is a meaningful purposeful action for Class I students.

Operating with numbers was the content goals this action, while for students it was included in the content way, and not the purpose of the action.

Material occupying different place in activity, acquires different meaning... Therefore, it requires different orientation and is reinforced in different ways. The content of the main goal requires more active orientation and receives effective reinforcement as the achieved result of the activity and therefore is better remembered than what concerns the conditions for achieving the goal.

Special research evidence shows that primary target material v activity is remembered the better, the more meaningful connections are established in it.

In a study that studied involuntary memorization of text that students needed to understand, they found that very easy text was less memorable than text of average difficulty. A difficult text, on the other hand, was remembered better with such a more active way of working with it, such as drawing up a plan, than when using a ready-made plan of the same text.

Consequently, the material that causes active mental work on it is involuntarily remembered better.

It is known that we involuntarily remember fully and firmly, sometimes for the rest of our lives, what is especially important for us. important vital importance, what causes us interest and emotions. Involuntary memorization will the more productive, the more interested we are in the content of the task being performed. So, if a student is interested in a lesson, he remembers its content better than when the student listens only "for order." A special study of the conditions for high productivity of involuntary memorization of knowledge in learning has shown that one of these most important conditions is the creation of internal, actually cognitive motivation. learning activities... This is achieved through special organization systems of educational tasks, at which each result obtained becomes necessary means to receive each subsequent one.

Arbitrary memorization - this is a product of special mnemonic actions, that is, such actions, the main purpose of which will be memorization itself. The productivity of such an action is also associated with the characteristics of its goals, motives and methods of implementation. At the same time, as special studies have shown, one of the main conditions for voluntary memorization is a clear statement of the problem of memorizing the material accurately, completely and consistently. Various mnemonic goals affect the nature of the memorization process itself, the choice of its various methods, and in this regard, its result.

In one study, students were asked to memorize two stories. The check of the first was scheduled for the next day, regarding the second it was said that it must be remembered for a long time. The memorization test for both stories was actually carried out after four weeks. At the same time, it turned out that the second story was remembered much better than the first. It is known how quickly the material that is memorized only for exams is forgotten, without setting on a strong, long-term consolidation.

Thus, the role of the mnemonic task cannot be reduced to the action of the intention to remember itself. Different mnemonic tasks cause different orientation in the material, in its content, structure, in its linguistic form, etc., determining the choice of the appropriate methods of memorization. Therefore, in educational work it is important to give students differentiated tasks: what exactly and how to remember.

An important role in voluntary memorization is played by motives that induce memorization. The information conveyed can be understood and memorized, but without acquiring a stable significance for the student, it can be quickly forgotten. People who have insufficiently brought up a sense of duty and responsibility often forget a lot of things that must be remembered.

Among the conditions for the productivity of voluntary memorization, the central place is occupied by the use of rational memorization techniques. Knowledge is composed of a certain system of facts, concepts, judgments. To memorize them, it is necessary to isolate certain semantic units, establish connections between them, apply logical techniques associated with more or less developed thinking processes. Understanding is a necessary condition for logical, meaningful memorization. What is understood is remembered faster and more firmly because it is meaningfully associated with previously acquired knowledge, with a person's past experience. On the contrary, the incomprehensible or poorly understood always appears in the human mind as something separate, meaningfully not connected with past experience. Misunderstood material usually does not arouse interest in itself.

One of the most important techniques of logical memorization - drawing up a plan for memorized material. It includes three points:

1.division of the material into its component parts;

2. coming up with titles for them or highlighting some reference point with which the entire content of this part of the material is easily associated;

3. linking parts by their titles or selected reference points into a single chain of associations.

Combining individual thoughts and sentences into semantic parts reduces the number of units that must be memorized without reducing the volume of memorized material. Memorization is also facilitated because, as a result of drawing up a plan, the material acquires a clear, dismembered and ordered form. Thanks to this, it is easier to grasp mentally in the process of reading itself.

Unlike plan to understand material in plan for memorization more and more fractional units are isolated, and the titles only indicate, remind of what should be reproduced, and therefore in their form they are often incomplete, fragmentary.

Is of great importance comparison as a method of logical memorization. Emphasizing differences in objects is especially important. This ensures the specialization of connections during memorization and directs the reproduction of images of objects along a certain path. The establishment of only general, and even more so very broad connections between objects can make it difficult to remember them. This largely explains the difficulty in remembering (for example, the names of the Ovs in Chekhov's story "The Horse Family").

Memorization of objects is carried out the faster and stronger, the sharper the differences between them. Therefore, the comparison of objects must begin with clearly identified differences and only after that move on to less noticeable differences. As a result of experiments I. P. Pavlov came to the conclusion that the nervous connection to a certain stimulus is carried out faster and is more durable not when the stimulus itself is repeatedly reinforced, but when its reinforcement is interspersed, opposed to an unsupported other stimulus, similar to the first.

Associations by similarity and contrast are also based on such more complex techniques of voluntary memorization as classification, systematization material.

When logical work on the material relies widely on figurative connections, this increases the meaningfulness and strength of memorization. Therefore, wherever possible, it is necessary to evoke the appropriate images, associate them with the content of the material that we memorize.

One of the important means of memorization is reproduction, acting in the form of retelling to oneself the memorized content. However, it is useful to use this method only after preliminary reflection, understanding of the material, especially in cases where the material is complex, difficult to understand. Reproduction, especially in your own words, improves understanding of the material. Poorly understood material is usually associated with a “foreign” linguistic form, well understood material is easily “translated” into “one's own language”.

Reproduction speeds up, rationalizes memorization, especially when memorizing by heart, since during retelling we identify weak points, exercise self-control. It is important that reproduction is not replaced by recognition. It's easier to learn than to remember. But only the possibility of reproduction, recall creates the necessary confidence in knowledge.

Educational material, which requires multiple repetitions in terms of its volume, can be memorized in three ways: either in parts - partial way, or all at once - holistic way, or all and in parts - combined method. The most rational combined method, and the least rational - partial. With the partial method, there is no orientation towards the general content of the whole, therefore, individual parts are learned in isolation from one another. This leads to the rapid forgetting of the memorized. A holistic method is more productive, in which the general content of the material is used, which makes it easier to understand and memorize individual parts in their relationship. But the parts can vary in difficulty, besides, the middle of the material is always remembered worse than the beginning and end, especially with a large volume. Here, a combined method of memorization can be applied, when at first all the material as a whole is comprehended, understood, in the process of which its individual parts are distinguished, then individual parts, especially more difficult ones, are memorized, and finally, the material is repeated again as a whole.

This method of memorization is most appropriate for the specifics the structure of the mnemonic action, which includes the following operations: orientation in the entire material, the allocation of groups of its elements, the establishment of intragroup relations, the establishment of intergroup connections.

Reproducibility is not necessarily a measure of memorization strength. Therefore, the teacher should always worry about how, through repetition, to achieve a more solid consolidation of knowledge by the students. According to K. D-Ushinsky, a teacher who does not care about repetition, about the solidity of knowledge can be likened to a drunk driver with loosely tied luggage: he drives everything forward, without looking back, and brings an empty cart, boasting only that he has come a long way.

However, repetition is only productive when it is conscious, meaningful, and active. Otherwise, it leads to rote memorization. Therefore, the best kind of repetition is to incorporate the learned material into subsequent activities. The experience of experimental teaching has shown that when the program material is organized into a special rigorous system of tasks (so that each previous step is necessary for the assimilation of the next one), then in the student's corresponding activity the essential material is necessarily repeated every time at a new level and in new connections. Under these conditions, the necessary knowledge is firmly memorized even without memorization, that is, involuntarily. Previously acquired knowledge, being included in the context of new knowledge, is not only updated, but also qualitatively changed, rethought.

Memorization- the process of fixing new information by linking it with already known information stored in memory. There are the following types of memorization:

Mechanical and Meaningful Experimental research data show the importance of semantic connections for the memorization process. Comparison of the results of memorizing meaningless syllables and meaningful words showed that the productivity of memorization is directly dependent on the presence of semantic connections (22 times more effective!)

Voluntary and involuntary memorization. Involuntary is understood as such memorization when a person does not set a special goal to memorize. For example, you walk down the street and remember a situation, although a special task - to remember - was not in front of you. With voluntary memorization, a person sets a special goal - to remember. Which memorization is more productive? Research

Zinchenko showed that involuntary memorization can be more productive than voluntary, it all depends on what place the memorized material occupies in the structure of activity. So, the following experiment was carried out: in one case, the subjects were asked to classify the proposed pictures into groups, and the goal was not set for the subject to remember these pictures. In the second case, the goal was to remember the pictures. So, in the case of classification, the pictures were remembered better than when the task was simply to remember them. Thus, involuntary memorization can be more effective than voluntary memorization. if the material takes the place of the purpose of the activity. In voluntary memorization, the goal is shifted to the memorization process itself.

Direct and indirect memorization. In direct memorization, a person does not use aids to memorize. Such memorization is called mediated when the subject uses such means. For example, he sets a goal to remember, writes down so as not to forget, ties a knot in memory. By the way, the last technique is very ancient. Attempts to use aids to memorize (that is, to master their memory) are already encountered among primitive peoples. A person tries to memorize one thing with the help of other hangers, for example, puts a pebble in his pocket, a leaf from a tree while counting. Thus, along with what we remember, there is something with the help of which we remember.

General characteristics of voluntary and involuntary memorization.

Being a mnemonic effect of mental processes that always occur when performing any activity, memorization, as has been said, is not independent of the characteristics of this activity, but, on the contrary, is determined by them in the nearest way.

Any human activity is characterized, first of all, by focus. It not only gives this or that result, but is always aimed at something, which may not coincide with the actual result of the activity, with what it actually leads to. The study of the dependence of memorization on the direction of the activity in which it is carried out is therefore part of a more common problem influence of activity on memorization.

In the most striking form, the direction of activity is presented as conscious intent to solve this or that problem, to achieve the achievement of this or that goal. The presence of this intention characterizes any conscious human activity. The latter is always the realization of some deliberately set goal. "In that which is given by nature," says Marx, "he (man. - A.S.) at the same time realizes his conscious goal, which, as a law, determines the method and nature of his actions and to which he must subordinate his will "(1)

Determined by a consciously set goal, a conscious intention to achieve this goal, human activity in its direction is conditioned, however, not only by conscious intention. Along with it, unconscious sources of direction also play a significant role, in particular, of all kinds. installation ***, which are often completely unaccountable or, in any case, insufficiently conscious.

However, both conscious intention and unconscious attitudes are by no means the primary source of human activity. The goals that a person sets for himself, and the unconscious direction of his actions, are based on those real conditions in which a person lives and acts. The real source of human activity is the reality that affects a person.

... The most important role in what determines human activity, its direction and character, is played by the social relations of people, which develop in different ways depending on the material conditions of society's life. Human activity is socially and historically conditioned.

The focus of human activity is extremely diverse. The study of the dependence of memorization on the various content of the direction of activity is a large and complex task. In this work, we do not set ourselves this goal, but restrict ourselves to a narrower task. We want to trace how only one of the types of orientation, which is most characteristic of learning activities human and especially for assimilation of knowledge in the process of studying. We mean the focus on ensuring that remember material to be learned, i.e. the so-called mnemonic orientation, or focus on memorization.

In cases where the direct source of mnemonic orientation is a conscious intention to remember, memorization is a special type of mental activity, often very complex, and by its very nature is arbitrary memorization. It is usually contrasted with memorization. involuntary which is carried out in cases where the mnemonic task is not posed, and the activity leading to memorization is aimed at achieving some other goals. When we solve a mathematical problem, we do not set ourselves the goal of remembering the numerical data that are available in the problem. Our goal - decide task, and not memorize the numbers in it, and yet we remember them, even if only for a short while.

The difference between these types of memorization is quite legitimate. But at the same time, it would be wrong to understand it as an absolute opposition of one type of memorization to another. Between voluntary and involuntary memorization, there is undoubtedly a number of transitions, a number of intermediate forms. One of them is precisely that memorization, which is carried out not by virtue of a conscious intention to remember, not under the influence of a mnemonic task, but due to the presence of a mnemonic attitude. Such memorization is not arbitrary, since the latter must necessarily be intentional, but at the same time it is still characterized by a more or less pronounced mnemonic orientation, which is not the case with involuntary memorization. Therefore, it can in no way be considered a relatively random mnemonic effect of activity aimed at performing other tasks, as is typical for involuntary memorization. This is, of course, one of the transitional forms between voluntary and involuntary memorization.<...>

The mnemonic orientation is most pronounced, of course, with voluntary memorization. Therefore, the comparison of this particular type of memorization with the involuntary should provide the most valuable material for characterizing the action of the mnemonic orientation in its most vivid expression. In this regard, our experimental studies were carried out with the aim of elucidating a number of questions concerning the dependence of memorization on the direction of activity.

The presence of a mnemonic orientation is essential primarily for memorization productivity. Low productivity of involuntary memorization was noted in a number of works (Stern, 1903-1904, 1904-1906, G. Myers, 1913, etc.). It is well known that, other things being equal, voluntary memorization is much more effective than involuntary memorization. The intention to remember should be considered one of the most important conditions for the success of memorization.

This position is well known to each of personal experience, from life observations. At the same time, it has found its clear reflection in experimental practice. One of the most striking examples its meaning is the case described by the Serbian psychologist Radossavljevic (1907) and quoted many times in the psychological literature. One of the subjects of this researcher did not understand, due to poor knowledge of the language spoken by the experimenter, the task that was set before him - to remember a relatively small (but meaningless) material. As a result of this misunderstanding, it turned out that memorizing even a small material could not be realized, despite the fact that the material was read aloud 46 times. However, as soon as the task of remembering was understood by the subject, he was able to reproduce all the material quite accurately after only six times familiarization with it.

The same is evidenced by the data of other works, in which the question of the action of the task to remember was subjected to special study, in particular, the studies of Poppelreiter (1912), Wolgemut (1915), Mazo (1929). The methodology of these works consisted in the fact that the subjects were asked, on the one hand, to perceive some material in order to memorize it, and on the other hand, to familiarize themselves with similar material in conditions when memorization was not required. In either case, after that (in the second case, unexpectedly for the subjects), it was proposed to reproduce the perceived material. The results of the experiments showed that in the first case, memorization was much more productive than in the second case. Very indicative is the fact, well known to all who conducted experimental studies of memory, the fact of poor memorization by experimenters of the material that they offer the subjects for learning. All subjects memorize the material completely and accurately, the experimenters themselves, who read this material to the subjects, at the end of the experiments can reproduce it extremely insufficiently, and this takes place, despite the fact that the experiments are carried out with several subjects, due to which the material is perceived by the experimenters significantly more times than each subject individually.<...>

a special action, the specific task and intention of which - to remember exactly, for the maximum period, for the purpose of subsequent reproduction or simply recognition - determines the choice of methods and means of memorization, and therefore affects its results. Special means can be used to better retain the material in memory. Such memorization usually has a complex mediated structure. Common ways to memorize free are:

1) drawing up a preliminary plan;

2) highlighting semantic reference points;

3) semantic and spatial grouping of material;

4) presentation of the material in the form of a visual visual image;

5) correlation of the material with the already existing knowledge. All other things being equal, voluntary memorization is more productive than involuntary memorization, it provides greater consistency, conscientiousness in the assimilation of new knowledge and controllability of this process (-> learning). Depending on the mnemonic goals and the mnemonic techniques used, the effectiveness of voluntary memorization is different. When formulating mnemonic tasks, when it is determined how completely, accurately and for a long time it is necessary to memorize, there is an orientation towards the selection of various characteristics of the source material and certain methods and strategies of memorization are actualized. Repetition of the memorized material plays an important role in this. As practice shows, the following techniques are quite effective:

1) semantic grouping and highlighting the key elements of the structure of memorized information;

2) linking new material with previously learned.

RANDOM REMEMBER

memorization, in which there is a deliberate use of special means for better preservation of material in memory. Depending on the mnemonic goals and the MNEMIC METHODS used, the effectiveness of voluntary memorization is different. When formulating certain mnemonic tasks, when it is determined how completely, accurately and for a long time it is necessary to memorize, there is an orientation towards the selection of various features of the source material and certain methods and strategies of memorization are actualized. As practice shows, the following techniques are quite effective: semantic grouping and highlighting the key elements of the structure of memorized information; linking new material with previously learned.

Arbitrary memorization

Specificity. For better preservation of the material in memory, special means are deliberately used. Depending on the mnemonic goals and the mnemonic techniques used, the effectiveness of voluntary memorization is different. When formulating certain mnemonic tasks, when it is determined how completely, accurately and for a long time it is necessary to memorize, there is an orientation towards the selection of various features of the source material and certain methods and strategies of memorization are actualized. As practice shows, the following techniques are quite effective: semantic grouping and highlighting the key elements of the structure of memorized information; linking new material with previously learned.

Introduction

Chapter 2. Methods of memorization

2.2 Modern techniques and methods of memorization

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

Throughout human history, people have tried to come up with ways by which they could as firmly as possible assimilate any knowledge. Since ancient times, the topic and technique of memorization has occupied inquisitive minds, considered and systematized by the great people of the past. A special term has appeared, borrowed from the Greek - mnemonic, meaning the art of memorization.

The volume of general and professional knowledge in the world has increased many times over the past century compared to previous centuries. At the same time, there is an ever increasing increase in it, a constant replenishment of more and more new information. Therefore, the development of memory, the improvement of the processes of memorizing, preserving and reproducing information is one of the most urgent tasks of a person in modern society. The study and application of certain methods, techniques and methods of memorization significantly contributes to the qualitative and quantitative improvement of memorization and retention of the necessary information in memory.

Knowledge of these techniques is especially important for students and schoolchildren, since mastering teaching material, general education or special information is the main area of ​​their activities. And without the ability to process, analyze, assimilate, systematize and firmly retain the studied in the memory, the learning process will lose all meaning for them.

Mastering the techniques of memorizing information is one of the issues of familiarization with the forms and methods of the scientific organization of teaching students, develops their skills in working with educational and scientific literature, contributes to the successful mastering of knowledge necessary for educational and educational research activities.

The purpose of this essay is to consider theoretical and practical recommendations to improve the memorization mechanism through the use of certain methods and techniques.

Chapter 1. Memory and memorization: general characteristics

1.1 Memory as the basis of human mental activity

Our memory is based on associations - connections between individual events, facts, objects or phenomena, reflected and fixed in our consciousness.

"Memory is a reflection of a person's past experience, manifested in memorization, preservation and subsequent recall of what he perceived, did, felt or thought about."

The forms of manifestation of memory are very diverse. Their classification was based on three criteria: the object of memorization, the degree of volitional control of memory and the duration of the storage of information in it.

The object of memorization is distinguished figurative including visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory and gustatory memory; verbal-logical expressed in thoughts, concepts, verbal formulations; motor also called motor or kinesthetic; emotional, memory for feelings experienced.

According to the degree of volitional regulation, goals and methods of memorization, memory is divided into involuntary(without a previously set goal to remember) and arbitrary(strained by an effort of will).

According to the duration of the storage of information, the memory is divided into short-term valid for just a few minutes; long-term, characterized by the relative duration and strength of the retention of the perceived material and operational, storing information only the time necessary to perform any operation. The object of this work is verbal-logical long-term arbitrary memory, which forms the basis successful learning at the university.

Depending on how successfully a person remembers information, visual (visual), auditory (auditory), motor (kinesthetic) and mixed (visual-auditory, visual-motor, auditory-motor) types of memory are distinguished.

1.2 Memorization, its features

Memory like mental activity is subdivided into the processes of memorization, preservation / forgetting, reproduction and recognition. Memorization is the establishment of a connection between the new and what is already in the human mind, "the consolidation of those images and impressions that arise in consciousness under the action of objects and phenomena of reality in the process of sensation and perception."

Memorization can be involuntary (accidental) or voluntary (purposeful). Free memorization is ranked according to the degree of accuracy of the future reproduction of the material. In some cases, only the general meaning, the essence of thoughts, is remembered and reproduced. In other cases, it is necessary to memorize and reproduce the exact, literal verbal expression of thoughts (rules, definitions, etc.). Remembering the meaning is memorizing the general and essential aspects of the educational material and distracting from insignificant details and features. Highlighting the essential depends on understanding the material itself, what is most important and significant in it, and what is secondary. It is closely connected with the processes of thinking, with the mental development of a person, with the stock of his knowledge. Learning - a variant of the highest fidelity of reproduction with arbitrary memorization - in educational process used especially often. It implies "systematic, planned, specially organized memorization with the use of certain techniques."

Reproduction of verbal material without understanding its meaning is not logical, but mechanical memorization, memorizing individual parts of the material without relying on the semantic connection between them. Material memorized mechanically, without sufficient understanding, is subject to faster forgetting. "" Meaningful (semantic) memorization is based on understanding the meaning, awareness of relationships and internal logical connection both between parts of the memorized material and between this material and previous knowledge. "

Chapter 2. Methods of memorization

2.1 The emergence and development of mnemonics

Most of human history took place before the advent of writing. In primitive communities, the memory of the lives of individuals, the history of families and tribes was transmitted orally. That which was not retained in individual memory or was not transmitted in the process of oral communication was forever forgotten. In such non-literate cultures, memory was subject to constant exercise, and memories to be preserved and renewed. Therefore, the art of memorization was especially important in the pre-written periods of human history. So priests, shamans, storytellers had to memorize huge amounts of knowledge. Special people - elders, bards - became custodians of social culture, capable of retelling epic stories that capture the history of any society.

Even after the advent of writing, the art of memorization has not lost its relevance. Very few books, high cost of writing materials, large masses and the volume of the book written - all this encouraged me to memorize the text. The system of techniques that improve the use of memory - the so-called mnemonics - apparently, more than once independently emerged and developed in many cultures.

The first known texts on mnemonics were created by the ancient Greeks, although in written sources the first mention of it belongs to the Romans. The treatise "De oratore" ("On the orator") by the Roman statesman and writer Cicero contains the first mention of mnemonics. Cicero attributes the discovery of the rules of memorization to the fifth century BC poet Simonides. This first technique suggested keeping in mind a picture of some places and placing mental images of memorized objects in these places. As a result, the order of the seats will preserve the order of the items. In such mnemotechnical systems, memories are stored by "tying" them to elements of a well-known environment - usually a house with its rooms, and objects to be memorized are mentally placed along a chain of such elements. After that, it is easy to remember them if the speaker will follow the "inner vision" along this chain, moving from one element to another. Other Latin text unknown author under the title "Ad Herennium" defines memory as a lasting preservation, assimilation of objects, words and their mutual arrangement by the mind. This text discusses how to choose images that, among other things, can give an idea of ​​the organization of the objects to be remembered.

The art of memorization was also developed by medieval monks, who needed to remember a huge number of liturgical texts. In the Middle Ages, it was mainly reduced to the methods of memorizing numbers and letters. It was believed that it was enough to remember the sequence of drawings or inscriptions arranged in a circle, which was easily perceived by the eye, in order to recall the order of prayers or a list of vices and virtues on occasion. Since the XIV century, the place of "recording" of memorized images began to be likened to a theater - a special "theater of memory" with symbolic sculptures similar to the statues of the ancient Roman forum, at the base of which it was possible to place objects to be memorized.

Giordano Bruno wrote books on mnemonics. In his testimony to the Inquisition Tribunal, he talks about his book entitled "On the Shadows of Ideas", which narrated about his mnemonic devices. In his hands, theaters of memory have become a means of classifying and comprehending the essence of the Universe and nature, models of heaven and hell.

V the scientific world memorization is carried out mainly through analogy, especially in the exact sciences. We try to understand the unknown by comparing it with what we already know. So, Rutherford in his theory compared electrons moving in orbits around the atomic nucleus with planets orbiting the sun. Here the analogy is needed only in order to create a visual visual image.