Using the Method of Loci for Memorization

The method of loci is a strategy for memorizing new information that originated in ancient Greece. It involves imagining yourself placing pieces of information around a room and then visualizing yourself walking back through to pick the information up. The word "loci" is the plural form of "locus," which means "location."

Among its many uses, the method of loci (sometimes called the mind palace method) can help you recall the points in order when preparing for a speech. It is one of several mnemonic devices or memory strategies. The elements of elaborative rehearsal in the method of loci help you to visualize new information and connect it to what you already know.

How Does the Method of Loci Work?

The method of loci works by giving your brain new information in order and grounding your memory of it to different points in a familiar setting that you can easily navigate in your mind. To use the method of loci:

• First, choose your location. It can be a room, a nature trail, or the landmarks on your neighborhood walk.
• Imagine yourself navigating this space.
• Begin "placing" what you need to remember around the space (one thing per area).
• Finally, see yourself picking up each item in the order you placed it.

For instance, with a recipe for banana bread, you might imagine placing bananas on the couch, sugar next to the lamp, milk on the piano bench, and so on. Then, in your mind, you'll go back around the room and remember the bananas, sugar, and milk in the order you placed them.

By imagining yourself placing things around a room and then collecting them in the same order, you train your brain to remember things sequentially. This new information can be about an object, a concept, a language term, or anything else you need to recall.

The method of loci works similarly to other mnemonic strategies, including using acronyms, music, and rhymes to remember information.

Benefits

The method of loci activates parts of the brain responsible for mental navigation, memory encoding, and memory retrieval. It also activates brain regions involved in visually processing the placement of objects relative to one another in their location.

Overall, researchers believe that mnemonic training can help reorganize networks in the brain, ultimately leading to better memorization skills. Several studies have demonstrated a significant improvement in recalling information in various groups who use it:

• Education and learning: In a 2015 study, undergraduate students were asked to create "memory palaces" based on campus locations to remember a grocery list. The researchers found that participants had improved memory for the serial recalled list. In addition, they increased their use of the method of loci in daily life, suggesting they found it helped them retain information.
• Mild cognitive impairment: This condition sometimes progresses to Alzheimer's disease. A study published in 2023 evaluated 40 people who reported experiencing some mild cognitive impairment and received six hours of training in the method of loci. While there was some evidence of benefit assessed by brain scan, the technique led to different results based on education level. The authors recommend more study on the method of loci in older adults.
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Researchers used a mobile app in a small study of 12 children, ages 9 to 17, who memorized sequences of pictures, five times a week for four weeks. The study, published in 2022, found that the method of loci concept was feasible, and could potentially boost memory function and quality of life in people diagnosed with ADHD.

In a 2017 study, researchers trained people for six weeks on the method of loci and other memory strategies. They compared their skills and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) exams with those of so-called "memory athletes" who compete in memorization competitions. Improvements in memory were comparable to that of the competitors and observable up to four months later.

New Research into Method of Loci

The method of loci can take time to master, but new research has shown that virtual reality devices could make the process faster and easier. Research published in 2023 tested a virtual reality device that allowed participants to place objects with their hands, walk around a virtual room, and receive auditory feedback.

The researchers found that, after the first week, participants who learned the method of loci using the virtual reality device were able to remember 20% more of the non-spatial information than those using traditional memorization techniques. After the second week, they were able to remember 22% more information.

Summary

The method of loci is a mnemonic memory strategy to help people remember new information in sequential order. The technique involves a memory "journey" in which you imagine placing information in specific places and then visualize picking it up in the order you put it down.

Researchers have studied the method of loci and found it effective in people of all ages, including older adults. It has the potential to improve the ability to learn and help people to remember new information.