Skip to content

Comment on Show HN: Memory Chimp – How good is your working memory?

Comments

I did this the first time no problem. I didn't memorize the order itself, but instead memorized sequential pairs (1-2, 3-4, etc...). I think memorizing each one individually would have been more difficult.

Working memory is a fascinating concept. I've played with techniques like the Memory palace and found them to be wildly effective. Attaching a meaning to any piece of information seems to make it much easier to remember.

Y'all need to help me with the next levels I have planned: The numbers will only appear for a limited time...

From http://www.livescience.com/7444-chimps-numbers-humans.html:

However, they discovered the three young chimps could remember many numerals with a glance, with virtually no change in performance even when the numbers were flashed for just 210 milliseconds

I think it would be a lot more difficult if the numbers actually moved. Our brains are very spatially oriented, making remembering positions or lines (as sillysaurus3 pointed out) much easier.

Would help out myself, but I'm on vacation and it's late here.

You're right, memorizing pairs makes it easier. There's a trick that seemed to work even better: Trace lines with your eyes and then memorize that. I found myself memorizing "up down up down up down left right right" by the end, like some old Nintendo game, which was easier than memorizing pairs.

I just remembered "swirls" of numbers (2s and 3s) that made a sweeping pattern (alternating or straight.) It worked so well I passed first time too!

That sounds like an interesting method! It seems that attaching some kind of spatial meaning to the sequence makes it a lot easier.

I think everyone got them all, I thought maybe the point was how quickly you could do it?

Did the same thing but with pairs of 3 (1-2-3, 4-5-6..)

AboutSource Built by g1lg1l

Hackerly is an independent reader for Hacker News, built on the public HN API. Not affiliated with Y Combinator.