Memory Event in the UK

Readers in the UK who are interested in memory should check out an exciting event happening on Saturday 18th November, as psychologist Dr David Lewis and 8-times world memory champion Dominic O'Brien will be holding a special 'memory masterclass' at the University of Brighton' to help people improve their memory.

I interviewed Dr Lewis to ask him about improving memory, and what will be happening at the event:

Q1: Can anyone improve their memory?

The short answer is Yes. Over the twenty years which I have been researching this topic and working with a wide variety of clients ranging from students to retirees, I have found almost everyone is capable of dramatically improving both the speed of retention and the accuracy of recall. Sadly far too many people tell themselves that they have a bad memory which then becomes a self-fulfilling belief.

Some of the greatest memory champions in the world, including eight-times world memory champion Dominic O’Brien, who will be giving a demonstration at the memory event, started out with what we might term perfectly ‘ordinary’ memories. Indeed, Dominic himself admits to being so dismal at school that his teachers believed in to be dyslexic. Yet by rigorously training, his memory he is now able to memorise the order of 40 packs of playing cards or a number more than a thousand digits in length.

Q2: How can some people perform such astonishing memory feats?

There are a variety of methods, but they all boil down to using your imagination to create vivid associations between the items you wish to remember - a technique developed by the Greeks some two and a half thousand years ago.

For most of us, just knowing about these techniques can be handy as we can then use them when necessary, but those who wish to develop a super-memory, perhaps for competitions or revising for exams, can simply just train themselves on these techniques for longer and so enjoy even more impressive improvements.

Q3: What kinds of benefits come from improving your memory?

Firstly, there are all the obvious things, such as having better recall, and not missing appointments and so on. But there are also some less obvious spin-offs, such as improved confidence, better career prospects, and better social interactions (particularly when you find it easier to remember people’s names and birthdays!). These memory strategies can also be used to gain more enjoyment out of life by, for example, learning a foreign language or a new skill. Improving your memory can also help increase your general intelligence levels, making life easier and making you more effective in your work.

Q4: What are the main memory problems people have?

When people think of improving memory they tend to think of it in terms of students revising for exams, but actually most of the problems people have with memory are things like constantly loosing things, not remembering what they intended to buy in the shops or having problems recalling people’s names. This latter is probably the most frequently cited difficulty and one which leaves people feeling embarrassed and ashamed when they find themselves unable to remember someone’s name within a few moments of meeting them for the first time.

Q5: Do we know much about memory?

Whilst many of the practical techniques for improving your memory date back thousands of years, its only in recent years that we’ve begun to get a good scientific grasp on how memory works. In fact, we’ve learned more about the working of the brain in the last decade than in the whole of previous history!

In our own research we use equipment which measures what is happening inside the brain when people are using their memories on a wide variety of tasks. We have found, for example, that certain mental states are especially good for establishing new memories and recalling old ones. I shall be showing people how to develop these states of mind during the lecture.

Q6: What will be happening at the memory event?

During the morning I will be introducing the Memory Enhancement programme developed from our research. This is called I.MP.AC.T, an acronym standing for Imagery. Mental Preparation. Active Concentration & Training. There will also be a talk by Dominic O’Brien who will be giving a demonstration of his truly remarkable memory skills.

In the afternoon I will be giving some more one-on-one memory and learning training to a smaller number of people. There are about 60 places left for the morning session, but only about 10 places left for the afternoon.

Q7: How can people get hold of tickets?

The tickets are free, but there are only a limited number. So please apply as soon as possible. You can get hold of tickets by emailing us at memory@mindmasterclass.com or by phoning us on 01323 422447. You can also get more information on the event by visiting www.MindMasterclass.com