Brief Summary
This video explains why we forget what we read and introduces the MAPS framework (Methods, Analogies, Principles, Specifics) to improve learning and retention. It highlights the importance of active recall, spaced repetition, and understanding principles over rote memorisation. The key takeaway is that effective learning involves deliberate encoding and active engagement with the material, rather than passive review.
- Forgetting is a natural brain function, not a flaw.
- The MAPS framework enhances learning through active engagement.
- Active recall and spaced repetition are crucial for memory retention.
- Understanding principles leads to lasting knowledge.
Why we forget what we read
The human brain tends to forget up to 70% of newly learned information within 24 hours. This isn't due to laziness or a lack of intelligence, but because the brain prioritises survival over memorisation. Unless information is reinforced, it's discarded. Therefore, the key to remembering what you read is to make the information unforgettable.
It’s not laziness, it’s how our brain works
The video introduces a study system developed over five years, designed to work with how the brain stores and retrieves knowledge. This system was used throughout two demanding Master's programmes, one in international relations and the other in data science. The system helps to absorb dense textbooks, academic articles, and technical content, retaining it long term. This approach is grounded in cognitive science and used by memory champions and elite learners to recall vast amounts of information without burnout.
The system that transformed how I study
The video asserts that forgetting is a function, not a flaw. Psychologist Herman Ebbinghaus mapped out the forgetting curve in the late 1800s, illustrating how quickly the brain discards new information if it isn't actively reinforced. Half of what you learn is gone after just one day, and almost all of it disappears by the end of the week.
The forgetting curve (Ebbinghaus)
Traditional study methods like rereading, highlighting, and cramming passively fight the forgetting curve. These methods create the illusion of learning but don't challenge the brain to retrieve or reconstruct knowledge, which is essential for building strong memory. To combat this, the video suggests moving from passive review to deliberate encoding.
What doesn't work: rereading & cramming
The approach breaks learning into two essential phases: accurate acquisition and durable retention. Accurate acquisition ensures that what enters your brain is clear and meaningful. Durable retention ensures that what enters stays. Skipping the second phase turns even the most disciplined reading session into a leaky bucket.
The two phases of real learning
To bridge these two phases, the video introduces the MAPS framework, which stands for Methods, Analogies, Principles, and Specifics. This framework is about encoding knowledge deeply.
MAPS Framework intro
The 'M' in MAPS stands for Methods, emphasising learning by doing. The brain remembers what it experiences. For practical skills like coding, languages, or presentations, immediate application is essential. Instead of passively reading or watching, put the new knowledge into use right away, engaging your senses and actions to activate the motor and emotional systems of the brain, making memory stickier.
M = Methods
'A' stands for Analogies, highlighting the importance of creating mental connections. Brains are webs of associations, not filing cabinets. The more links you create between new and old knowledge, the easier recall becomes. Use analogies to turn abstract ideas into relatable images, making the connection more vivid and familiar, thus strengthening the memory.
A = Analogies
'P' stands for Principles, stressing the importance of understanding the 'why'. Memorising facts might get you through a quiz, but understanding the principles behind them builds lasting knowledge. Focus on why something works, going deeper than definitions. Principles explain patterns, and patterns are memorable.
P = Principles
'S' stands for Specifics, advocating for the use of active recall and spaced repetition. Some information, like dates, names, and formulas, requires memorisation, but how you memorise them changes everything. Active recall involves forcing your brain to retrieve information without looking at your notes. Spaced repetition involves reviewing the material at increasing intervals. Apps like Anki or Quizlet automate this process, but the principle remains the same: struggling to remember makes the memory stronger.
S = Specifics
The video details how to use active recall in real-time: after studying a topic, close the book and explain it in your own words. Use flashcards with questions on one side and answers on the back, testing yourself regularly. Teach the concept to a friend or simulate teaching it out loud, even when alone, and build mind maps to visualise the full topic, then recreate the map from memory. These methods force the brain to work harder, making information last longer.
Key takeaways & wrap-up
The retrieval pyramid illustrates that memory is like a muscle: the more you retrieve, the stronger it becomes. Recognition is easy but weak, while synthesis and teaching are harder but more powerful. Spending more time at the top of the pyramid leads to faster learning and less forgetting. By applying the MAPS framework with active recall and spaced repetition, you'll remember more, understand more deeply, and study with confidence.
