The Science of Human Nature: A Psychology for BeginnersPyle, William Henry
Science
The Science of Human Nature: A Psychology for Beginners
Pyle, William Henry
Educational psychology; Psychology
Another experiment performed in the author's laboratory bears out the
above conclusions. A group of students were required to commit to memory
at one sitting a long list of nonsense syllables. The number of
repetitions necessary to enable each student to reproduce them was
noted. One day later, the students attempted to reproduce the syllables.
Of course they could not, and they were then required to say them over
again till they could just repeat them from memory. The number of
repetitions was noted. The number of repetitions was much less than on
the first day. On the third day, the process was repeated. The number of
repetitions was fewer still. This relearning was kept up each day till
each person could repeat the syllables from memory without any study.
It was found that the person who learned the syllables in the fewest
repetitions the first time, relearned them in the fewest repetitions on
succeeding days. All the experiments bearing on the subject point to the
same conclusion; namely, that the quick learner, if other things are
equal, retains at least as well as the slow learner, and usually retains
better.
=Transfer of Memory Training.= We have said above that there are many
kinds or aspects of memory. It has also been said that we can improve
memory by practice. Now, the question arises, if we improve one aspect
of memory, does this improve all aspects? This is an important question;
moreover, it is one to be settled by experiment and not by argument.
The most extensive and thorough experiment was performed by an English
psychologist, Sleight. The experiment was essentially as follows: He
took a large number of pupils and tested the efficiency of the various
aspects of their memory. He then took half of them and trained one
aspect of their memory until there was considerable improvement. The
other section had no memory training meanwhile. After the training, both
groups again had all aspects of their memory tested. Both groups showed
improvement in all aspects because the first tests gave them some
practice, but the group that had been receiving the training was no
better in those aspects not trained than was the group receiving no
training at all. Aspects of memory much like the one trained showed some
improvement, but other aspects did not.
The conclusion is that memory training is specific, that it affects only
the kind of memory trained, and related memories. This is in harmony
with what we learned about habit. When we receive training, it affects
only the parts of us trained and other closely related parts.
=Learning by Wholes.= We do not often have to commit to memory verbatim,
but when we do, it is important that we should know the most economical
way. Experiments have clearly demonstrated that the most economical way
is to read the entire selection through from beginning to end and
continue to read it through in this way till the matter is learned by
heart.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account