Tie a Ribbon on My Finger

Faz, you remembered 72% of the information in the Memory Test.

But research shows there's a lot you can do to improve your memory. And if you do, it can help you function in more ways than you'd think. There are 6 main types of memory, which help us interpret and store different types of information. You scored highest in numeric memory. That kind of memory allows you to remember things like phone numbers, numerical addresses, and dollar amounts. You probably also have a knack for recalling people's birthdays, phone numbers and important dates in history, too. But this represents just one of the six categories of memory that keep your mind sharp and allow you to function every day. How well did you do in the other areas? How can you improve your memory to make life easier and keep your brain active? What does the way you process information say about you?


Understanding Your Memory
Why Does Memory Matter?Memory takes place in the area of the brain known as the hippocampus. You rely on your memory almost every second of every day, using it for everything from remembering which day of the week it is, to bigger things like how to do your job, or which bus to take or where to do your grocery shopping. Your memory allows you to remember the people in your life, all of the experiences that you have had, as well as what you plan to do each day and how you do it. Without memory, you would be a blank screen, stripped of all previous knowledge and experiences.How Memory WorksMemory can be broken down into two distinct parts: short-term memory, which lasts about 30 seconds, and long-term memory, which starts after that 30 seconds and can potentially last a lifetime. There are three factors that help your brain determine which information to transfer to your long-term memory. The first is your degree of attention and concentration. Multi-tasking obviously decreases your ability to commit something to memory since your attention is only partially directed towards one activity. For example, if you watch TV while you study, you will likely have a much harder time transferring that information into your long-term memory because you'll be stimulated by what you're trying to learn, by what's on the TV and by what's going on around you, too. The second factor is the meaningfulness of the information; if something impacts you directly or seems important or interesting to you, it's more likely to stick in your long-term memory. The third and final factor is how well new information fits with your existing knowledge. If new information builds upon something you've already stored in your long-term memory, it's more likely to associate with the existing information in your mind and lodge itself into your memory.Short-term memory, then, is seen as the gateway to your long-term memory. The more something captures your interest and attention, and the more important that information is to you, the more likely it'll be stored in your long-term memory. Information that is repeatedly used and built upon tends to become a stronger long-term memory. However, certain special information can lodge itself into your mind indefinitely without following these standard memory rules. Let's now turn our attention to these unique types of memories.Flash Bulb MemoryHave you ever wondered why you can remember certain days or events in your life so much better than others? How is it that you can sometimes hear or see something just one time, and remember it for the rest of your life? Scientists call these kinds of memories "flash bulb" memories. These memories stand out because of their powerful emotional content, a unique aspect that allows you to recall that memory that much more easily. For instance, Americans who were alive when President Kennedy was shot often recall the vivid details of when they heard the news — including who told them, where they were, how they felt, and other surrounding circumstances. Another example of this would be remembering with exceptional clarity a day of personal trauma, such as the death of a loved one. While these memories aren't always completely accurate, they do serve as an example of how emotional content can enhance the storage of a memory.
anchornav('improve');

Your Score
The 6 Dimensions of Memory
Understanding Your Memory
Improving Your Memory
Answer Key
History
Further Reading...
Improving Your Memory
The more information we can store and recall, the smarter we feel. Memory is crucial to the whole process of learning and retaining knowledge, both of which increase your perceived intelligence. After all, without memory, how could you show off your expertise in Renaissance Art or 1950's cars? However, a good memory isn't necessarily an indicator of a high IQ. Instead, it is a mark of effective learning and synthesizing strategies, as well as your genetic makeup.Since your memory can indeed be molded, the most important thing in strengthening your memory is to keep your mind active. Just as you exercise your body, you need to exercise your mind. If you continue to challenge yourself, your brain literally keeps growing. With use, your brain can develop new dendrites — the connections between the nerve cells in your brain — which helps your memory in retrieving and storing information.Although research does indicate that the strength of your memory is partially dependent on your hereditary genes, there are some specific things that researchers suggest for enhancing your memory.
What Was Your Name Again?
Are you one of those people who just can't seem to remember the names of new people? While it's a common problem, forgetting someone's name isn't the best way to make a first impression. Here's one technique to help you better play the name game:
Tell yourself to pay attention. So many of us assume we won't remember a name, or are so focused on what's going on in the situation, that we don't really try to remember the person's name. But our brain listens to us when we tell it what we want to take in; paying particularly close attention is the way to signal that important information is coming.
Associate the person's name with a defining characteristic. Our brains like to cluster information to solidify it. So instead of just thinking, "Sheila," try thinking, "Sheila, the pilot," or "Sheila, with those great hazel eyes." When picking something to associate with the person's name, choose something that interests you or seems intriguing (or, for that matter, unappealing or irritating). This will help the person stand out in your mind and cement the name in your memory.
Repeat the person's name. You can think the name and characteristic silently to yourself during the conversation. You may also want to say the person's name at least once, but probably no more than twice, during the conversation. Try to end with something like, "It was nice talking to you, Sheila."
Have a review session with yourself. Later, when thinking over the conversation, recall the person's name again to help further impress their name in your memory.
Forgetfulness Got Your Tongue?
You know you know it, you just can't remember it. It's on the tip of your tongue. How can you bring it from the deep, dark recesses of your mind? Here are a few ideas to job your memory:
Give yourself a break. Literally. Sometimes pushing to remember just drives the memory away, whereas taking a few minutes to let your mind wander or focus on something else can sometimes be more successful in allowing your mind to recall the word. Or you can allow yourself to think of something associated that leads you to remember the word.
Use the ABCs. If you're trying to remember a word, or the name of a street or store or person, try going through the alphabet. If you have a visual image of what you're looking for, hold it in your mind as you scan each letter of the alphabet. Some letters will be easy to discard, while others will linger in your mind, often leading you to recall the word you're looking for.
Try to scan your mind for associations. For example, if you're trying to think of the name of a store, imagine the clerk, the atmosphere, the products, the stores on either side. As you form a more complete memory, the image of the store's sign or logo may come into your mind. The basic idea is to find things that you've associated with the name, in hopes that those things will bring the name to the surface of your memory.
Numbers, Numbers Everywhere
Phone numbers, birth dates, addresses, dollar amounts, and passwords are just some of the ways that numbers flood our lives. Remembering these can prove challenging for many of us, because strings of numbers are more abstract than strings of letters. For example, memorizing "8583938759309354" is going to take much longer than memorizing the word "associations" or the name "Sheila." There are many intricate systems to help people remember longer numbers. One of the most basic ways is to associate each number with a letter, also known as "pegging." There are numerous ways to attempt pegging, depending on how long the number is that you need to remember. A simplified version of pegging can be used for remembering phone numbers, especially since most phones have letters on the keypad to correspond with each number. Here's an example:
Choose the number you want to remember. In this instance, say you get assigned the phone number 523-9369, and you want to come up with a corresponding word or phrase to help you remember it.
Write down the possible letters for each number on the key pad. For instance, for the 5, you can use J, K, or L. For the next number in the sequence, 2, you can use A, B, or C.
Once you have all the letter possibilities down, it's time to put your thinking cap on and get creative, making a word or phrase out of the number. With the particular number sequence, you can spell the words, "LADY FOX." It takes a bit of time to think up a good word from the letters you have to choose from, but once a word is in place for a number, you're much less likely to forget it. "Chunking" is another method that you can use to remember hard-to-recall numbers. It involves breaking up long series of numbers into more memorable sections, primarily by inserting hyphens. Phone numbers and social security numbers are already formatted in this way to make them easier to recall (555-9663 is much more memorable than 5559663).Whenever you're trying to memorize a longer number, you can group the series into smaller groups. For instance, if you have to memorize a number like 98584893939393904894, you can more easily remember it as 9858-4893-9393-9390-4894. To make it even easier, you could then employ your pegging skills to come up with five words that could correspond to these five sections of numbers.
Memory Food
The strength of your memory is based at least partially on what you eat. Here are some things that studies suggest can help feed your brain right:
Drink plenty of liquids, especially water. A lack of water can lead to dehydration, leaving you feeling tired and making it harder to concentrate. Additionally, try to limit coffee and soda, as sugar and caffeine can interfere with your thinking.
Eat a well-balanced diet that has fresh fruits and vegetables, adequate amounts of protein, and complex carbohydrates, such as brown rice or whole-wheat bread. Foods like these that are rich in antioxidants can nourish and protect your brain cells.
Consider taking one of the supplements believed to enhance memory power. Some of these include gingko biloba (which shouldn't be used by people on blood thinners), Calcium-Magnesium, or antioxidants like Vitamin C. As with any supplement, make sure you are aware of all potential side-effects.
Try to limit your alcohol intake. Drinking more than one or two glasses of alcohol per day can have a negative impact on the memory centers of your brain, thus impairing your recall abilities.
Stay Positive
You aren't the only one who has forgotten your best friend's birthday. And you certainly aren't the first person to spend hours searching for the sunglasses that were resting on the top of your head all along. So, don't be hard on yourself if you forget something. Remember that everyone has difficulty remembering things and very few people have perfect memories.The best thing you can do is to keep a positive attitude when your memory fails you. After all, if you start to worry that your memory is declining, that anxiety will only interfere with your ability to remember even more.

http://web.tickle.com/tests/memory/paidresult.jsp