10drxtcMEMBERWOLFPACKFAMILY LORD MASTERM...'s blog: "P.H.D. certified tests"

Merritt, you remembered 100% 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 spatial. That kind of memory allows you to remember things like the details of an object and how it relates to the space around it — like how furniture is arranged in a room. It also probably helps you picture where you last left your house keys, or recall the location of specific locations — even without a map. While this area of memory is your strongest, it's your overall memory power that allows you to recall all of the various kinds of information available to you. On this test, Tickle measured your skills in 6 types of memory which, when taken together, resulted in your overall memory score. Your Score The 6 Dimensions of Memory Understanding Your Memory Improving Your Memory Answer Key History Further Reading... The 6 Dimensions of Memory: How Did You Score? Visual memory, numeric memory, spatial memory, object-oriented memory, reading comprehension, and delayed-recall memory work in their own ways to help you store information. Most people are stronger in some forms of memory than in others. And that, in turn can tell you something about the way you personally tend to process information and turn it into long-term knowledge. Memory is more than just the romanticized idea of "making memories." It's how you remember specific information that helps you function in the world — whether on an emotional, or more practical scale. If you know how you best process information, you can improve your chances of retaining pertinent information, and retrieving that information when you need to. Bad at remembering numbers but it's important for your job? Maybe there are different ways you can think about numbers based on other memory skills. Always misplacing things around the house, which makes you chronically late? Understanding different memory tricks can probably help you beat that problem, too. So read on to see how you scored, where your memory is strongest, and how you can improve it. First, you need to understand the different forms of memory. Visual Memory Your Visual Memory allows you to remember visual clues and details, such as what someone looks like once you're no longer around them. When you see a word, picture, or symbol, you might find yourself forming a corresponding image in your mind; your Visual Memory is what allows you to recall that image once the object is no longer in sight. If you have a strong visual memory, this visual memorization technique can help you store and retrieve non-visual information, such as the meaning and spelling of vocabulary words. The following was one of the questions used to determine the effectiveness of your Visual Memory. As you looked at the first box, you were asked to take in the visual details of 10 objects. The next box you looked at asked you to recall which one of the four objects shown also appeared in the first box. The answer you picked on the actual test is indicated with the arrow; the correct answer is indicated with a checkmark. Your answer on this question, combined with your answers to other questions measuring visual memory, contributed to your overall score of 10 on the Visual Memory dimension. Average Score Your Score The average score for all test takers is 7.6. So, as you can see, your Visual Memory is keener than that of the majority of other test takers. This strength can come in handy in many situations, for example, when asked to describe the physical features of someone you just met or describing a scene of an event. Numeric Memory Numeric Memory allows you to recall series of numbers, such as phone numbers, numeric passwords, combinations, and various account numbers. This memory technique can be tough for some to master, because strings of numbers are somewhat abstract and don't naturally correspond with one another in the same ways that letters of a word or images do. Following is one of the test questions used to determine the strength of your Numeric Memory. This question shows you a mathematic equation that involves three relatively complicated sets of numbers. The answer asks that you remember the third and longest set of numbers in its exact sequence. Your answer is indicated with the arrow; the correct answer is indicated with a checkmark. Your answer on this question, combined with your answers to other questions measuring numeric memory, contributed to your overall score of 10 on the Numeric Memory dimension. Average Score Your Score The average score for all test takers is 8.0. So, as you can see, you're better than most at remembering strings of numbers and you likely memorize most of the important numbers in your life. You're able to recall phone numbers, birthdates, and addresses off the top of your head, sometimes to the astonishment of your friends. You probably don't have to write down regularly needed numbers since you've already committed them to memory. Despite your high score, you still might want to improve your numeric memory. Experts recommend using something called a mnemonic system, in which you associate numbers with easier-to-remember letters, words, or rhymes; this kind of clustering can help you recall specific numbers at a later point in time. Spatial Memory Your Spatial Memory allows you to recall the details of stationary objects that occupy physical space. Specifically, it relates to your ability to recall the physical relationship of objects to one another, including the distance between them, and/or their orientation to each other. Remembering how to get around town, recalling where you've put things, and being able to visualize the layout of a room are all examples of how you use this aspect of memory. Following is one of the questions used to measure the power of your Spatial Memory. It showed you a map of physical locations and asked you to memorize the relationship and space between each location. Then, by removing the labels, you were challenged to pinpoint the location of one of the landmarks on the map. Your answer is indicated with the arrow; the correct answer is indicated with a checkmark. Your answer on this question, combined with your answers to other questions measuring spatial memory, contributed to your overall score of 10 on the Spatial Memory dimension. Average Score Your Score The average score for all test takers is 5.9. So, as you can see, you're more skilled than others at recalling the relationship of objects and recreating an accurate visualization of a particular space. You are likely someone who thinks in images as opposed to words; this is a trait of many people who have exceptional spatial memory. Object-Oriented Memory Your Object-Oriented Memory allows you to visualize an object's movement and its ultimate destination and location in space. It involves being able to form a mental image of an object, rotating that image mentally, comparing it to the initial image, and judging whether or not the two objects are the same. This type of memory is used in various sports, as well as in everyday activities like packing a tight suitcase or organizing a closet full of various sized objects. Following is one of the questions used to determine the capacity of your Object-Oriented Memory. In this question, you're asked to memorize the shape of an object. The next part of the question required you to rotate that image in your mind until you could match it with one of the possible answers below. Your answer is indicated with the arrow; the correct answer is indicated with a checkmark. Your answer on this question, combined with your answers to other questions measuring object-oriented memory, contributed to your overall score of 10 on the Object-Oriented Memory dimension. Average Score Your Score The average score for all test takers is 8.7. So, as you can see, you're particularly skilled at using your Object-Oriented Memory. Interestingly, researchers have found that men tend to do better than women in this area, while women tend to have better skills when it comes to more verbal fluency. It's controversial whether these results can be explained more by biological differences between the sexes, or by the fact that men and women are socialized differently — taught to think, see, and participate in different activities that would foster, or discourage, this type of memory development. Reading Comprehension Your Reading Comprehension is a form of memory that allows you to read a passage or sentence, interpret its meaning, then store the general sense of its meaning for later use. As you read a passage, even this passage, you layer the meaning of the next sentence on to the meaning of the previous sentence — building on your initial sense of the meaning, and integrating new information to form a higher-level understanding and interpretation of the text as a whole. In general, your Reading Comprehension memory allows you to construct meaning based on the information you identify as important in the material. It also allows you to remember specific details from a passage and the specific ordering of information within the text. The following was one of the questions used to measure your Reading Comprehension. The first part asked you to read the following passage. The second part of this question required you to recall what happened in that passage. Your answer is indicated with the arrow; the correct answer is indicated with a checkmark. Your answer on this question, combined with your answers to other questions measuring reading comprehension, contributed to your overall score of 10 on the Reading Comprehension dimension. Average Score Your Score The average score for all test takers is 8.0. So, as you can see, you're more skilled than most at interpreting what you read and committing that information to memory as you continue to read a text. This makes it easier for you to analyze and interpret the overall intent and meaning of what you have read. This means that you are better able than many to transform what you read into working knowledge you can draw on when you want to. Delayed Recall Your Delayed Recall memory refers to your ability to transfer information from your short-term memory to your longer-term memory and then to recall it when you want to. Short-term memory technically lasts no longer than 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, the you either commit that that information to long-term memory, or the information slips away from your brain. Delayed Recall memory allows you to remember information several minutes, hours, or days, or even years after first learning it. Tickle measured your Delayed Recall ability by asking you questions about information you'd seen earlier on in the test. We used your performance on these questions as an indicator of how well you transfer information into a longer-term memory. This was one of the questions used to determine your Delayed Recall abilities. It asked you to recall which of the following images you had seen earlier in the test. This challenges your Delayed Recall skills because at the time you were first shown the correct image, you didn't think you needed to commit to memory for longer than a few seconds. Your answer is indicated with the arrow; the correct answer is indicated with a checkmark. Which direction was this shape facing when it was first shown in this test? A. B. C. D. Your answer on this question, combined with your answers to other questions measuring delayed recall, contributed to your overall score of 10 on the Delayed Recall dimension. Average Score Your Score The average score for all test takers is 7.0. So, as you can see, you're better than most at retaining information for longer than the standard 30-seconds of short-term memory. However, in order to preserve the information stored in your mind with Delayed Recall, you'll likely need to continue using or reviewing that information, or associating it with other existing memories. By doing so, you may be able to remember things for the rest of your life. Your Score The 6 Dimensions of Memory Understanding Your Memory Improving Your Memory Answer Key History Further Reading... 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 Works Memory 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 Memory Have 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. 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. Your Score The 6 Dimensions of Memory Understanding Your Memory Improving Your Memory Answer Key History Further Reading... Answer Key Following is the complete answer key to Tickle's Memory Test. The arrows point to your test responses, and the checkmarks indicate the optimal answer. 1. Which of the following did you see? 32 X 4 34 X 6 32 X 6 36 X 4 2. 3. 4. 5. Max and Emily met at a friend's party. After the party Emily asked her friend Jenny whether Max was seeing anyone. Jenny mentioned to Max that Emily had been curious about him. Max asked Jenny if he could have Emily's number. About a week later he called her and asked her out on a date. Emily was surprised to hear from him because Jenny didn't tell her that she'd given him her number. Nonetheless, Emily accepted the date and they went miniature golfing followed by Max cooking dinner at his place. The miniature golfing was Max's idea, and it turned out to be more fun than either of them had expected. They laughed a lot. A few days after this first date Max called Emily again. This time they met for drinks, went out to dinner, and then to a movie. Emily called Max the next day to thank him for a great date and to invite him to go hiking with her the following weekend. They were seeing each other pretty frequently, and soon decided not to see other people. Who was the first to express an interest in the other person? Emily asked Jennifer about Max. Max asked Jennifer about Emily. Max approached Emily at the party. Jennifer thought Max and Emily would be a good match. 6. What did Max and Emily do on their first date? They met for drinks and then had dinner. They met for drinks, dinner, and then saw a movie. Max made dinner and they then went miniature golfing. They went miniature golfing and then Max made dinner. 7. 8. Study the numbers below. 57 X 21 = 1197 What was the ANSWER to the equation? 1179 1197 1267 2296 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. What was the ANSWER to the equation? 13,297 13,972 12,973 12,739 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. The little family settled around Charleston, South Carolina, which had a large shipping community at the time. William, after presenting Mary Brennan to polite society as his wife and Anne as his legitimate daughter, started his legal practice again there. When Anne was sixteen years old she fell in love with James Bonny, and history proclaims him to have been either a penniless soldier or a small-time pirate at the time. Anne and James Bonny were wed against her father's will, for which he disowned her, costing them her dowry. The newlyweds moved to what was then called New Providence, now Nassau. What was Anne's father's profession? He was a doctor He was a captain He had a legal practice He owned a shipyard 22. What happened after Anne and James Bonny were married? Anne had an affair almost immediately Anne's father disowned her They had a child They sailed back to Ireland 23. Which of the following number sequences DID appear somewhere in the test? 36 x 4 5934 388-6892 54 x 18 = 972 24. Recall the map of the gardens you saw earlier on this test. Where is the rose garden located? 25. Which of the following symbols DID appear somewhere in the test prior to this question? A. B. C. D. 26. Which direction was this shape facing when it was first shown in this test? A. B. C. 27. Previously you read about Max and Emily and their first three dates. Which of the following did they do on one of those dates? Went dancing Went to a concert Went to an art gallery Went hiking