Since the dawn of humankind, memory retention has been a problem. If you have ever lost your cool during a test, missed meeting talking points, or forgotten some items on the grocery list, you are not alone. At some moment or another, we have all had the elusive privilege of making memories.
However, there are other ways to organize your personal and professional lives and improve your memory. One of the most common techniques for exercising your memory is the chunking technique.
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What is Chunking Technique?
Chunking is a learning approach that includes breaking up vast amounts of information into manageable, easier-to-remember chunks, as the name suggests.
Chunking simply entails organizing connected or related items into categories so they may be swiftly read or understood and retained for a longer period of time.
According to Harvard psychologist George A. Miller, the theory behind chunking is that the human mind can only keep an average of seven pieces of knowledge at a time. Chunking is a technique for getting over the memory’s inherent restriction.
Chunking examples:
Numbers – Although the idea of “chunking” may be unfamiliar to some, we all use it frequently. The most common example is learning phone numbers. None of us can remember a series of random digits, such as 3124497473 if it isn’t divided into smaller digestible chunks and given as 312-449-7473.
Words – In a similar spirit, words larger than seven letters can be taught by first breaking them up into little words or syllables. A hippopotamus is more easily pronounced as a hip-popo-tamus. When you say pomegranate, it is more likely to stay in your mind.
Table – The periodic table of elements serves as yet another striking example. The chemical elements are shown in a tabular format and are arranged according to many criteria, including atomic number, electron configuration, and chemical characteristics.
The three fundamental strategies are grouping into manageable bits, seeking similar patterns, and organizing by meaning and association.
Chunking Technique: 6 Tips To Get Started
1. Prioritize the information
Setting priorities and structuring the material in your field of study is the first step in effectively leveraging the power of chunking. The most efficient approach to do this is to use the inverted pyramid method, which presents information in decreasing order of significance.
For instance, the most important information, such as the software’s purpose and defining traits, will form the pyramid’s base while learning about a certain piece of software.
The center portion will contain additional details and auxiliary materials including setup guidelines, business tools, compatibility, and pricing. And ultimately, the valuable but unimportant items that make up the pyramid’s tip will be there.
It is easier for us to retain knowledge for a longer period of time when a larger whole is broken down into multiple smaller portions.
2. Find similarities
Find connections between the parts of a huge block of information when breaking it up into smaller units. Do they have anything in common? Do they belong to any specific groups? Do they achieve the same objective?
The list of all Nobel Prize winners for a given year, for instance, is already divided up into performance areas. One group is made up of people who have distinguished themselves in chemistry, physics, economics, and other subjects.
The identical approach can be used for chunking. It will be easier for you to remember a list of random creatures if you categorize them into their respective classes, such as mammals, reptiles, birds, and so on. Naturally, you are free to create your own categories. Be creative in this area.
3. Make links and associations
Connecting new information to earlier memories is another brilliant trick for memory retention. The Croatian cities of Dubrovnik, Split, and Sibenika, which served as the filming locations for the popular television series Game of Thrones, for example, will be permanently etched in your brain if you establish the mental connection. Much like how you can add extra information to something you have seen or experienced.
4. Create and use acronyms
This is the chunking method I enjoy using the most. If there is no connection or similarity between the bits of information, use mnemonics or acronyms to help you remember them.
The most well-known example of this is the mnemonic Roy G. Biv, which stands for red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Consider coming up with short acronyms for the information you wish to remember.
5. Incorporate visuals
Images and visuals help people remember things better. It’s difficult to scan through and difficult to memorize large chunks of information.
Break it down into bullet points and include accompanying pictures to make it easier for you to recall. Even after watching the most boring presentation, if it has interesting graphics, you will remember the context and content more vividly.
6. Practice is the key
With repetition and consistency, you can become an expert chunker. Utilizing the chunking method, start by memorizing at least five items.
Encourage yourself to gradually add additional items as you succeed. You can train your brain to gradually migrate new information from working memory to unconscious memory.
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