Memory Palace v Flash Cards

Did you know that people in ancient Greece used to memorize entire books and poems because they did not have the resources to print books like we now have? Memory experts and scientists have, over the years, come up with different techniques that can help people learn more effectively. Two of the most popular methods are the memory palace method and the flash card method. Both these methods vary in application and they have their own pros and cons. But almost everyone eventually comes to the question of which one is better. Lets try to find out.

Introduction to memory palace and the drawback of prior training:

To use the memory palace technique, you need a lot of prior preparation. The idea behind the technique is that you place key images in different locations of a place you are familiar with, like your home. These key images should remind you of the concept you are trying to memorize, and they should be as silly or unnatural as possible. Human brain is naturally geared to remember locations, so this mechanism will help you remember the images you placed in your mind. Every year, a competition called the World Memory Championship is organized where people, after practicing for years, use this technique to memorize cards, numbers, poems and other information. People have used these techniques to memorize up to 40,000 digits of pi! Sadly, this techniques require a lot of prior training to use instantaneous. Most memory champions spent months working on just one game. Thus, it may not be appropriate for people who don’t want to put in the time.

Flash cards don’t require prior training, but it has its own disadvantages:

On the other had, flash cards don’t require any prior training. All you need to do is enter information into the front and back side of the card and you are good to go. What makes flash cards effective is a process called “active recall”. Active recall simply means that your brain is more likely to remember what you put effort into recalling. When you view one side of the card and recall the other one without looking, you are more likely to remember what you recollected. There is no championship competition for people who use flash cards; however, this technique is often recommended to people preparing for competitive exams. Unfortunately, the flashcard method does have certain disadvantages.

Flash card methods is at a disadvantage as it can be very time consuming. Creating flash cards, in itself, is a very time consuming process. Over that, if you are trying to remember numbers or memorize a poem, you have to undergo multiple repetitions using the flash card method before you can memorize it. 

Memory palace provides instant long term memory:

On the other hand, with memory palace technique, you can memorize a series of numbers in the very first try. This is proven by world memory champions when they memorize numbers or poems within a limited period of time. Memory champion, Dominic O’Brian says that memory palaces help information bridge the gap between short term and long term memory, thus helping us learn faster. That said, while memory palace is faster in helping you memorize information, flash cards are more efficient in helping you sustain them for long term use.

Flash cards have algorithms to help schedule revision:

Modern technology has created certain algorithms that tells you the appropriate time to revise a topic in order to store it for long term use. They use a principle called “spaced repetition” which says that information become easier to remember and use if you revise them at appropriate intervals. Modern technology has created flash card softwares that can calculate the appropriate interval to wait in order to strengthen your memory. Anki and Supermemo are 2 of the most popular softwares used for this purpose. Contrary to this, since memory palaces occur completely in a persons mind, there are no softwares that can help make them more efficient. Revision of these images are purely left to a persons fancy, and they may never revise without a schedule, usually provided by these softwares, to help them. But, its worth noting that memory palace only require knowledge of the technique while flash card apps can be expensive. Setting aside all these differences, both memory palace and flash card method have certain similarities. 

Neither of these techniques are a standalone method to learning:

Both memory palace and flash card method require you study and understand a subject beforehand. These methods merely aid your memory, not your understanding. They cannot be substitutes for good research or expert guidance. At the end of the day, the purpose of education is to change the way we think, not to help us memorize stuff. For example, I remember in high school when my physics teacher held two objects in her hands, one heavy and one light, and asked us which object would hit the ground first if dropped from the same height. We had studied gravity and memorized its formulas, but we all answered using our common sense and said that the heavier ball would fall first. Had we actually understood the concept, we would have known that the weight of an object does not affect gravity, and that both objects would fall at the same time. 

Conclusion:

Both the flash card method and memory palaces have their own pros and cons. Flash cards are useful for long term learning, but its time consuming and not very effective to learn complex details. Memory palaces are fast and efficient, but can’t be backed by technology and require lots if prior practice. However, both these tools are just memory aids that are useful after you properly understand a subject. There is no substitute for proper research and a good teacher.