How do I efficiently use my daily learning limit?

Question

Is there an ideal amount of knowledge to be taken in on a daily basis? I've different kinds of conflicting information. From the list of ideas I've seen, which, if any, is most correct? Here are the ideas I've seen:

• New information either refines old information or pushes old information out.
• New information is stored and old information is not pushed out.
• Memory degrades at a slower rate when people are actively learning and at a faster rate when people are not trying very hard.
• Nothing escapes the human memory. The more organized a person is, the greater the illusion of larger mental storage capacity.
• Sorry. Nature..., not nurture.

While I am generally of the opinion that practice makes perfect, I find that this is not the case with certain things. For example, some Japanese kanji are very difficult for me to memorize. While I remember some after only reading and writing them one time, there are some kanji that I have learned and re-learned but never fully adapted. An example would be 奇麗. It's a very difficult kanji to remember how to write, but it's a nice kanji. So I practice it. When I try to write it, my mind always draws a blank, even though I have practiced writing it ten times in a row at least fifteen times.

So, is it possible I over-studied and built a blockade? Is it possible that I have trouble remembering this because it's a tangent to some other regular study path, and so it's untidy/disorganized? Is it possible that I forget because of the amount of studying that has preceded it? Have I under studied, as seem most likely? Not spend enough time just closing my eyes and picturing it? Or am I missing something?

Answer 1

I think there are elements of truth in all your points. I don't really think information is pushed out, it is just less current.

There is a layering technique I have seen used to great effect, and which I try to use, which assumes 3 layers of memory: immediate, short term and long term.

If I do something once, I can probably do it again straight away, as long as it fits into the very small immediate memory. It might end up in short term memory, but if it is one of 100 things all done once in a short space of time it probably won't be accessible unless triggered by something.

Repeating something a few times in quick succession pops it into short term memory - this is a reasonable staging memory, but will fade if not used again. I might need a number of repetitions if the item is complex (remembering pi to 50 decimal places for example) or it might only take 3 or 4.

To get something from there into long term memory I need to revisit it, generally at a 3 day mark and then again after a week or so. After that it is pretty much there for life (so far)

It basically comes down to practice - get some intensive practice in when you first try something, then some follow up practice later that week and possibly longer.

Interestingly the same seems to hold true for muscle memory - I can still perform the kata I learned in karate 20 years ago, despite not having practiced for 15 years - because at the time I practiced each one for 30 - 40 times a day!

Answer 2

Memory can be a funny thing though I think everyone has different aptitudes when it comes to learning and memory. Some people can absorb new information quite well and others struggle trying to remember what they just read two minutes ago.

I'd wonder if there are other strategies for trying to remember that kanji. How is it linked to other things in your mind? Perhaps you have to figure out how you organize things in your mind and then you'll have a better idea of what else besides just practicing writing it you could do to help remember it. How complex is the pattern? How do you read that symbol? Have you considered different ways to write it and if so how did that go? Some people remember best through muscle memory, some have photographic memory, and some remember best if they hear something. Don't underestimate how this is only seeing and writing something rather than trying to do other things like describe it verbally or teach someone else how to write it that may be useful other ideas to try.