1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,240 Hello listeners! 2 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:12,680 Today is April 4th, 2025 – a date when new beginnings and personal growth are always within reach here on "The Science of Self." 3 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:21,480 Our motto reminds us that you can improve your life from the inside out—and what better way to do so than by mastering how we learn? 4 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:37,480 In our latest episode, I'm thrilled to introduce a treasure trove for eager minds – Peter Hollins’ "Super Learning: Advanced Strategies for Quicker Comprehension, Greater Retention, and Systematic Expertise." 5 00:00:37,480 --> 00:00:40,720 The book is available on Amazon or as an audiobook. 6 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:48,880 You can find it not only in physical form but also digitally via iTunes or Audible if that's your preferred listening method! 7 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:57,040 Peter Hollins – a best-selling author with expertise in psychology and peak human performance, backed by over 12 years of academic research. 8 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:01,160 His guidebook offers scientific techniques to transform learning into an exciting habit you look forward to each day. 9 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:03,760 Get ready for strategies that make studying as natural and refreshing as taking a deep breath! 10 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:10,280 Dive right in with Peter Hollins' website – peterhollinsbooks.com (feel free using the shortened link bitly: https://tinyurl.com/y53869m2). 11 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,680 From understanding how memory works to unraveling why we forget, "Super Learning" brings it all together for you on your journey of intellectual empowerment and self-improvement! 12 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:22,440 In today's episode specifically, chapter 2 takes us deep into the heartbeat of learning – Memory Retention. 13 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:31,480 Peter Hollins guides us through topics like 'The Forgetting Curve,' offering insights that challenge conventional wisdom on how we learn best. 14 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:42,480 By understanding memory’s biology and psychological preconditions to effective learning, you're about to discover new pathways towards academic excellence! 15 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:50,440 So grab your copy of "Super Learning" or just listen in as I discuss the essential takeaways with Peter Hollins himself – all on this special episode dedicated purely for those hungry minds ready to learn smarter and faster. 16 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:56,760 Remember, learning doesn’t have to be a chore; it can become an exhilarating journey towards mastery that enhances every aspect of your life! 17 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:00,520 Let's embark on this transformative experience together in today's episode of "The Science of Self." 18 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:02,720 Tune into us for continuous growth and self-improvement. 19 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:06,720 Until then, keep learning with love – because the only way to learn smarter is by making it enjoyable again. 20 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:08,040 Stay tuned! 21 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:10,520 Memory, of course, is heavily related to learning. 22 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:15,600 People are seldom said to have learnt something if they can’t really remember any of it! 23 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:20,480 This is why so many techniques and methods around learning focus on recall. 24 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:32,440 As with other aspects of our cognition, however, we can drastically improve our memory if we take the time to understand its optimal function, and how we can support this for better learning. 25 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:44,880 If memory is a storage system that exists within specific neural pathways, then learning is about changing neural pathways to adapt one’s behavior and thinking to the emergence of new information. 26 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:54,960 They depend on each other because the goal of learning is to assimilate new knowledge into memory, and memory is useless without the ability to learn more. 27 00:02:54,960 --> 00:03:02,080 Many memory techniques exist, but they all truly function on the contents of this chapter. 28 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:10,840 Memorization is how we store and retrieve information for use (essentially the process of learning), and there are three steps to creating a memory. 29 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:22,800 An error in any of these steps will result in knowledge that is not effectively converted to memory—a weak memory or the feeling of “I can’t remember his name, but he was wearing purple . 30 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:22,800 . 31 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:22,840 .” 32 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:22,840 33 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,360 1. 34 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:25,920 Encoding 35 00:03:25,920 --> 00:03:26,720 2. 36 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:27,360 Storage 37 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:27,800 3. 38 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,280 Retrieval 39 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:30,320 40 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,160 Encoding is the step of processing information through your senses. 41 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,560 We do this constantly, and you are doing it right now. 42 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:42,760 We encode information both consciously and subconsciously through all of our senses. 43 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:51,040 If you are reading a book, you are using your eyes to encode information, but how much attention and focus are you actually giving it? 44 00:03:51,040 --> 00:04:07,480 The more attention and focus you devote to an activity, the more conscious your encoding becomes—otherwise, it can be said that you subconsciously encode information, like listening to music at a café or seeing traffic pass you by at a red traffic light. 45 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:14,800 Many people mistakenly think they have a “bad memory” when it may be more accurate to say that it’s a question of attention. 46 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:31,160 Such a person might forget the name of someone they just met, not because they have a faulty memory, but because they simply weren’t paying much attention when they were introduced—but they do remember in great detail the adorable dog on a lead walking past at just that moment. 47 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:44,880 How much focus and attention you devote also determines how strong the memory is and, consequently, whether that memory only makes it to your short-term memory or if it passes through the gate to your long-term memory. 48 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:51,040 If you are reading a book while watching television, your encoding is probably not too deep or strong. 49 00:04:51,040 --> 00:05:02,440 Similarly, you are more likely to remember something that has strong emotional significance for you when compared with something that doesn’t really concern you beyond the intellectual level. 50 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:07,960 Storage is the next step after you’ve experienced information with your senses and encoded it. 51 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,760 What happens to the information once it passes through your eyes or ears? 52 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:20,760 There are three choices for where this information can go, and they determine whether it’s a memory that you will consciously know exists. 53 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:28,320 There are essentially three memory systems: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. 54 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:36,040 The last step of the memory process is retrieval, which is when we actually use our memories and can be said to have learned something. 55 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:41,840 You might be able to recall it from nothing, or you might need a cue to bring the memory up. 56 00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:52,360 Other memories might only be memorized in a sequence or as part of a whole, like reciting the ABCs and then realizing you need to sing to remember how it goes. 57 00:05:52,360 --> 00:06:02,640 Usually, however much attention you devoted to the storage and encoding phases of memory determines just how easy it is to retrieve those memories. 58 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:17,280 Most of the learning process isn’t necessarily focused on retrieval—it’s concentrated on the storage aspect and what you can do to force information from sensory and short-term areas into long-term ones. 59 00:06:17,280 --> 00:06:20,040 Think about when you cram for a test. 60 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:30,760 You want information you experience to be in your brain for perhaps 24 hours, which means it has to exist beyond short-term memory and certainly beyond sensory memory. 61 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:43,440 You might not care if you remember this information about the French Revolution at the end of the year, so you will reach a level of attention and focus that will push the information into the hazy area between short- and long-term memory. 62 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:50,640 In reality, what’s happening is that you will rehearse the information enough to make a very faint imprint on your long-term memory. 63 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:55,200 But after that, the impression fades pretty quickly. 64 00:06:55,200 --> 00:07:05,120 Accelerating your learning, in a sense, is the same as improving your memory capacity and how absorbent your memory is—the more sponge-like, the better. 65 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:11,960 It’s also about giving you conscious control over the steps of the process that normally run automatically. 66 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:19,320 If you know how and why your memory works, you can squeeze the most out of it! 67 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:19,760 Forgetting 68 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:19,760 69 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:29,000 However, learning is both the process of improving memory while also getting better at not forgetting. 70 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:30,680 Why do we forget? 71 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:32,120 Why can’t we remember this fact? 72 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,200 How did we ever let something slip from our brains? 73 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:47,480 As you have read, forgetting is usually a failure or shortcoming in the storage process—the information you want only makes it to short-term memory, not long-term. 74 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:54,760 The problem isn’t that you can’t find the information in your brain; it’s that the information wasn’t embedded strongly enough to begin with. 75 00:07:54,760 --> 00:08:08,000 This may have happened partly because you never cemented the memory by recalling it again and again; i.e., you didn’t strengthen those tentative neural connections and your brain, seeing that they weren’t really needed, let them go. 76 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:12,640 Sometimes it’s easier to think about forgetting as a failure in learning. 77 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:18,160 There are generally three different ways you retrieve or access your memories: 78 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:18,160 79 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:18,920 1. 80 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:19,400 Recall 81 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:20,040 2. 82 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:20,760 Recognition 83 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:21,720 3. 84 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:23,840 Relearning 85 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:23,840 86 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,120 Recall is when you remember a memory without external cues. 87 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:38,880 It’s when you can recite something on command in a vacuum—for example, looking at a blank piece of paper and then writing down the capitals of all of the countries of the world. 88 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:43,520 When you can recall something, you have the strongest memory of it. 89 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:51,320 You have either rehearsed it enough or attached enough significance to it so that it is an incredibly strong memory within your long-term memory. 90 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:58,200 You go into your brain’s storage, find exactly what you’re looking for, and reproduce it in full. 91 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:04,400 Of course, because recall represents the strongest level of memory, it’s also typically the toughest to achieve. 92 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:09,880 It would generally require hours of rehearsal or study to get anywhere close to this level. 93 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:17,920 However, once we acquire information this way, the benefit is that it’s a lot harder to un-learn or forget. 94 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:26,280 When we study, we want information to enter this realm, but we will usually settle for the next type of memory retrieval. 95 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:32,960 Recognition is when you can conjure up your memory in the presence of an external cue. 96 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:41,000 It’s when you might not be able to remember something by pure recall, but if you get a small clue or reminder, you will remember it. 97 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:52,840 For example, you might not be able to recall all of the capitals of the world, but if you got a clue such as the first letter of the capital or something that rhymes with it, it would be fairly easy to state it. 98 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:58,960 This “jogs your memory” enough that you can carry on once you get started. 99 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:03,040 When we cram information, recognition is typically what we end up with. 100 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:07,040 This is also how mnemonics and similar memory devices work. 101 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:18,800 We know we aren’t able to definitively store and recall so many pieces of information without a massive amount of rehearsal, so we work on chunking information into easily recognizable cues. 102 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:28,240 With the right cue, we are pointed in the right direction and can gradually access memories stored a little less concretely. 103 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:31,280 Relearning is undoubtedly the weakest form of recall. 104 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:37,720 It occurs when you are relearning or reviewing information and it takes you less effort each subsequent time. 105 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:46,920 For example, if you read a list of country capitals on Monday and it takes you 30 minutes, it should take you 15 minutes the next day, and so on. 106 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:50,840 Unfortunately, this is where we mostly lie on a daily basis. 107 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:56,840 We might be familiar with a concept, but we haven’t committed enough of it to memory to avoid essentially relearning it when we look at it again. 108 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,320 This is what happens when we are new to a topic or we’ve forgotten most of it already. 109 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:04,760 When you’re in the relearning stage, you essentially haven’t taken anything past the barrier of short-term memory into long-term memory. 110 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:12,400 From your brain’s perspective, this kind of information is simply not important, relevant or repeated enough to warrant more space in your memory. 111 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:14,520 The Forgetting Curve 112 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:14,600 113 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:21,160 Not only are we fighting weak encoding or storage in our quest for learning, we are also fighting the brain’s natural tendency to forget as soon as possible. 114 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:29,760 This is encapsulated by the forgetting curve, a concept pioneered by psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus. 115 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:32,560 Below is a picture of the forgetting curve, courtesy of Wranx.com. 116 00:11:32,560 --> 00:11:38,680 This shows the rate of memory decay and forgetting over time if there is no attempt to move information into long-term memory. 117 00:11:38,680 --> 00:11:47,640 If you read something about the French Revolution on Monday, then you’ll typically remember only half of it after four days and retain as little as 30% at around a week’s time. 118 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:53,000 If you don’t review what you’ve learned, it’s very likely you will only retain 10% of what you learned about the French Revolution. 119 00:11:53,000 --> 00:12:00,120 However, if you review and rehearse it, you can see in the graph above how you will retain and memorize more over time. 120 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:06,040 You will bump the retention level back up to 100%, and then the graph will start to become shallower, indicating less decay. 121 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:08,480 It’s as though you are teaching your brain, “This is important. 122 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:10,080 I keep needing to know this, so remember it.” 123 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:10,080 124 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:15,560 The goal is to make the forgetting curve shallower—to make it resemble a horizontal line as much as possible. 125 00:12:15,560 --> 00:12:20,000 That would indicate very little decay, and doing that requires constant review and rehearsal. 126 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:23,920 Ebbinghaus found patterns for memory loss and isolated two simple factors that affected the forgetting curve. 127 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:30,560 First, the rate of decay was significantly blunted if the memory was strong and powerful and had personal significance to the person. 128 00:12:30,560 --> 00:12:33,560 Second, the amount of time and how old the memory was determined how quickly and severely it decayed. 129 00:12:33,560 --> 00:12:42,600 This suggests there is little we can do about forgetting other than to come up with tactics to assign personal significance to information and rehearse more often. 130 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,600 As you can see, forgetting isn’t as simple as having something on the tip of your tongue or rummaging through the stores of your brain. 131 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:51,440 There are very specific processes that make it a near-miracle we actually retain as much as we do. 132 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:55,840 You’re probably also noticing that improving your memory is as much about good encoding and attention as it is proper rehearsing and recall. 133 00:12:55,840 --> 00:13:02,120 Being able to recall information is always the goal, but more realistically, we should be shooting for recognition and to learn how to expertly use cues and hints in our daily lives. 134 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:05,520 I may not be able to recite the lyrics of my favorite songs, but I can sure remember them if I hear the melody. 135 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:11,960 If I become expert at managing cues for myself, I can work around the unavoidable limits of my memory. 136 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:18,120 • Learning relies on memory, and memory is in turn an interplay between two processes: storing and retrieving information. 137 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:20,680 There are three main steps: encoding, storing and retrieval. 138 00:13:20,680 --> 00:13:22,560 • How well we encode material (i.e. 139 00:13:22,560 --> 00:13:31,400 cement it into our minds) depends on the degree and intensity of attention we pay it, as well as the senses through which we encounter it, and our associated emotions. 140 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:37,440 • When we store memories, we do so either as transient sensory memory, short-term memory or more long-term memory. 141 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:44,040 • Retrieval is when we return to stored memories and pull them out again, either with a cue or helpful sequence, or without one. 142 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:56,040 We can retrieve information in a few ways: recall it directly (no cues, this is obviously preferable), recognition (remembering something after a cue or prompt, and relearning, which is the least effective and lasting method.) 143 00:13:56,040 --> 00:14:05,480 • Forgetting is a normal state of affairs, and occurs on a “forgetting curve.” Every time we rehearse, however, we refresh this memory, and the subsequent forgetting trails off at a less steep curve. 144 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:12,920 The goal is to rehearse until the curve eventually flattens, and the rate of decay slows enough for you to say, “I’ve permanently learnt this.” 145 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:12,920 146 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:12,920 147 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:14,440 Welcome back listeners! 148 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:27,320 We're wrapping up our latest episode on The Science of Self where we dived deep into the art and science of learning as explained by Peter Hollins in his book, Super Learning: Advanced Strategies for Quicker Comprehension, Greater Retention, and Systematic Expertise. 149 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:43,200 We've explored how memory works with its three key components—encoding where we solidify our experiences into memories; storing them as either short-term or long-term recollections; and retrieval when pulling those stored memories back up for use again in life situations, like exams or job interviews. 150 00:14:43,200 --> 00:15:02,000 We touched on the fact that forgetting is a natural process which follows a curve we all experience called "forgetting," but with strategic practice of material, this decay can be slowed to an acceptable level where information feels permanently learnt and accessible when required most. 151 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:10,880 This understanding paves way for us not just to learn more efficiently, faster or even better than others—beating the competition! 152 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:21,200 It empowers you on a personal journey towards self-improvement from within by making learning habitual, fun, exciting and motivating in ways never experienced before. 153 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:40,520 Peter Hollins has unlocked his potential over many years of studying psychology alongside peak human performance to help others like us harness our innate capabilities for success—in work productivity, academic achievements or even hobbies that bring joy into your life! 154 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:46,680 Remember: learning is not a textbook; it's more of an experience guide and journey where we discover ourselves in the process. 155 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:50,960 Now before you start absorbing all this newfound knowledge like never before - here’s our Call to Action—Start investing time, effort or resources today into adopt these proven scientific strategies for learning! 156 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:52,600 Remember that your potential lies within yourself waiting to be discovered and unlocked-just as Peter Hollins has done. 157 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:57,200 So let's end where we started: with the goal of reversing misconceptions about our ability to learn, bringing back fun into learning experience while improving ourselves from the inside out! 158 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:05,880 Make sure you grab a copy or download your audiobook version of 'Super Learning', and embark on this transformative journey that could forever change how you perceive yourself, work, education productivity as well as hobbies. 159 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:16,360 Thank you for tuning into The Science of Self podcast where we continually strive to empower ourselves with scientific knowledge about human psychology in our quest towards self-improvement and personal excellence! 160 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,160 Keep learning—keep growing. 161 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,400 Stay curious, my friends!