Test #7B: How Much Did You See?

Here’s a test where you look at a room or some people doing something
and try to remember everything you see there. In fact, you can
create your own test for this—just go into a room or observe any
group of people, look away, and see how much detail you can remember.
You’ll see two similar images for your initial test and your test
after 30 days. In each case, look at the image for 1 minute, look
away, and write down as many things as you remember. Then, look
back at the image and see how many things you have remembered
correctly. Score 1 point for each item you correctly remember; deduct
1 point for each item you incorrectly recorded or omitted completely.
Then, compare your current and 30 days later scores. While the
scenes to look at are slightly different, they are of similar types of
scenes for the two time periods.

Test #7A: Draw It

See how long you can retain a visual image. You can do this as a series
of tests or you can draw two, three, or four images at the same time.
Look at each image below for 30 seconds and remember as much
as you can. Then, close the book and try to draw it from memory.
Next, without looking back at the image or your drawing, do something
else for 30 minutes and try to draw it again. Compare your two
drawings to the original to see how much you remember. Then, try
the same test 30 days later and see how your second set of drawings
compare to your first test. 57

Remembering Images

Finally, how well do you remember what you see? To test yourself,
the first is a recall test where you draw as much as you can remember.
The second is a recognition test, in which you try to remember
which images you saw before and what’s missing.

Test #6: Faces and Names

Look at the following set of faces for 4 or 5 minutes; then cover it
up, and see how much you can remember in the second set. Take
this as an immediate or delayed memory test, as you choose.
After you fill in as much information as you can for the faces
that were in the first test, give yourself 1 point for each correct face
recognition, 1 point for the correct name, and 1 point for the correct
occupation. Subtract 3 points for each face you incorrectly identify
as having been in the first test. Then, try this test again in 30 days,
and compare the results. Make sure to write down whether you took
this test immediately or after a delay, so that when you repeat the
test, you use the same conditions.

Remembering Faces and Names

How well are you able to remember faces and the names and occupations
that go with them? In the following test, you’ll see a dozen
faces with the information about them. Then, you’ll see a set of faces
that includes most of the faces you have seen. How well do you remember
if you have seen that face and how well do you remember
what you know about that person?

Remembering Numbers

How good are you at remembering phone numbers, bank account
numbers, passwords, and other sets of numbers and letters? Here’s
a chance to test yourself in the following tests, where you have an
increasing number of numbers to remember. To do the test, look at
the initial list for 1 minute, then close the book and try to recall as
much as you can, using an immediate or delayed recall test. Write
down what you recall, and afterwards compare it to what’s in the
book. Give yourself 1 point for each number or letter in its correct
place in the sequence.

Test #4A: Lists

Take a minute to review the list and remember as much as you can.
Then, close the book and write down whatever you remember in
sequence. Give yourself 1 point for each item you remember on the
list—until you miss an item. Take this as either an immediate recall
test, or as a delayed recall test, where you do something else for 20
minutes and don’t think of anything on the test. In either case, use
the same timing—immediate or delayed—when you retake the test
using the list in Set 2, and compare how well you did after working
on memory improvement for 30 days.

Remembering Lists and Directions

Following are some tests for remembering lists, such as a shopping
list, and directions. How well can you recall what’s on the list? Sure
you can write down what you want to remember, but what if you
lose the list? Or what if someone gives you directions on the telephone
and you can’t write them down? Not only do you have to
remember the directions themselves, but it’s crucial to remember
them in the proper order.

Test #3B: Delayed Recognition

Now how well can you recognize what you saw when they are mixed
in with other words that you didn’t see before when you engage in
another activity before seeing what you can recognize? Take a
minute to look at the left-hand column of the following first list of
words; then cover up these words with a sheet of paper. But before
you do the recognition test with the second list, do something else
for 20 minutes. Again do whatever you want, such as taking a walk,
reading a newspaper, having a snack, or shooting baskets in your
backyard. Just don’t think about the words on the word list. Then,
for the test, look at the left-hand column of the second list directly
below it and check off which words you just saw on the first list.
When you finish, look at the first list again, score 1 point for each
word you recognized correctly, subtract 1 point for each incorrect
word, and total your score. Then, compare your results with the immediate
recognition test. Generally, you will recognize less accurately
than when you immediately tried to recognize the words. This
will give you a general sense of your ability to retain information in
your working memory and how quickly you forget. At the end of 30
days, repeat the test with the first list of words in the right-hand
column (Set 2) and the words in the second list, directly below it.
DELAYED RECOGNITION TEST
Set 1: To Test Yourself Now Set 2: To Test Yourself in 30 Days
First List First List
Gun Planet
Stairway Rice
Campsite Candy
Log Frog
Branch Stream
Paper Hole
Notebook Bandage
Chair Hammer
Radio Roof
Bank Color
Set 1: To Test Yourself Now Set 2: To Test Yourself in 30 Days
Second List Second List
(Which words from the first list are on this?) (Which words from the first list are on this?)
Rifle Stream
Stairway Planet
Radio Harp
Lantern Card
Donkey Candy
Branch Wind
Briefcase Hammer
Lamp Closet
River Purple
Paper Hole 50

Recognizing Words with Interference

How well can you recognize words that you saw when they are
mixed in with other words that you didn’t see before?

Test #2B: Delayed Recall

Now see how well you can do when you engage in another activity
before testing your recall. As in the first test, take a minute to look
at the following list of words, then close the book. But before you try
to recall, do something else for 20 minutes. Do whatever you want,
such as taking a walk, reading a newspaper, having a snack, or
shooting baskets in your backyard. Just don’t think about the words
on the word list. Then, see how many words you can write down
correctly from your memory in a minute or two. As before, when you
finish, look in the book and score 1 point for each correct word,
subtract 1 point for each incorrect word, and total your score. Compare
your results with the immediate recall test. Generally, you will
recall less than when you immediately tried to recall the words. This
will give you a general sense of your ability to retain information in
your working memory and how quickly you forget.

DELAYED RECALL TEST
Set 1: To Test Yourself Now Set 2: To Test Yourself in 30 Days
Bathtub Door
Computer Elephant
Printer Cow
Desk Snow
File Cabinet Mirror
Car Tree
Motorcycle Rose
Road River
Sign Fountain
Window Bucket 47

Test #2A: Immediate Recall

Take a minute to look at the following list of words; then close the
book, and see how many you can write down correctly from your
memory in a minute or two. Then, when you finish, look in the book
and score 1 point for each correct word, subtract 1 point for each
incorrect word, and total your score.

IMMEDIATE RECALL TEST
Set 1: To Test Yourself Now Set 2: To Test Yourself in 30 Days
Pencil Animal
Wood Fox
House Court
Book Movie
Television Pen
Box Circle
Lamp Elevator
Couch Farm
Night Factory
Moon Wall

Remembering Random Words

This is a classic test that memory researchers use—you are presented
with a list of random words (or words in a certain category), and
then you have to recall as many as you can, or you have to recognize
whether they are in another list. Here are series of word tests, and
you can easily have a friend or associate come up with additional
word tests for you. See how well you can do under different conditions.
There are two sets—one to test yourself now, the other to test
yourself later. Get a sheet of paper and a pencil to write down your
answers and scores. 46

Objective Tests of Your Different Memory Abilities

The following objective tests are other ways of testing your memory
for different types of information. Some of these tests will also show
how well you can avoid interference from similar types of information.
Again, determine your scores now, and test yourself a second
time in 30 days to see your progress. And if you continue to work on
improving your memory, try testing yourself every 30 days. To avoid
the effect of remembering what you have previously learned from a
test, test yourself with an alternate version of the test (such as new
sets of words and faces). You can use Set 2 for your second test or
work with a friend or associate to create another version of the test
for each other. (For example, ask a friend to come up with a list of
10 random words for you to remember.)

Test #1: Assessing Your Memory Skills

The following test is designed for you to subjectively reflect on your
memory abilities now. Make an extra copy of this test, so you can
answer it again after you have spent a month working on improving
your memory. That way, you can monitor any improvement. The first
time you take the test, answer each question as honestly as you can
and total up your score. This will help you notice the areas where
you especially need to work on memory improvement, such as learning
to pay better attention, increasing your ability to encode information,
and improving your ability to retrieve names, faces, places, and
dates. Rate your memory on a scale of 1 (you forget most or all of
the time) to 5 (you typically remember very well), and then obtain
an average for each category (total up the ratings in that category
and divide by the number in that category).

TEST #1: RATING MY MEMORY

My Overall Memory
My Memory for Everyday People, Places, and Things1
(average of my scores for the categories below)
People’s names
People’s faces
Where I put things (e.g., keys, eyeglasses)
Performing household chores
Directions to places
Personal dates (i.e., birthdays, anniversaries)
My Memory for Numbers
(average of my scores for the categories below)
Phone numbers I have just looked up
Phone numbers I use frequently
Bank account numbers
Computer passwords
Combinations for locks and safes
My Memory for Information
(average of my scores for the categories below)
Words
What someone has told me in a conversation
What I have learned in a classroom lecture
Reading a novel
Reading a nonfiction book
Reading an article
Reading the newspaper
My Memory for Activities
(average of my scores for the categories below)
Appointments
Performing household chores
Shopping for items at a store
Speaking in public
A meeting at work
My Memory for Events
(average of my scores for the categories below)
Earlier today
Yesterday
Last week
Last month
6 months to a year ago
1–5 years ago
6–10 years ago
When I was a child

After you finish rating each particular item, find the average for
remembering that type of information. Then, look at your ratings to
assess how well you are doing in different areas. Commonly, you will
find you remember best those things that are most important to you,
since you naturally pay more attention in those areas. But, where are
you especially weak? Those are areas ripe for improvement.
Use this test as a guide to help you determine where you especially
want to increase your memory. Later, after you have worked
on developing your memory over the next month (or however long
you take to do this), retest yourself without looking at how you rated
yourself before. Afterwards, compare your before-and-after ratings.
Generally, you will find you improve, though your subjective ratings
can be affected by other factors, such as how you are feeling when
you take the test.
In any case, your second set of scores can help you decide what
you want to work on next if you want to continue to improve your
memory. In fact, if you’re into charts and graphs, you can plot your
ratings every month to chart your continued progress.

Self-Assessment

This first test will provide you with a baseline measure of your feelings
about how good your memory skills are right now.

How Good Is Your Memory?

When you learn any kind of new subject or skill, to see how much
you have improved, it’s good to see where you started from. So this
chapter is designed to provide you with a baseline showing how you
feel about your ability to remember now and how you perform on
different types of memory tests. Then, you can repeat the tests after
you finish this book and examine the changes. You should expect to
do better the second time.
These tests will give you a general idea of where you are now,
though they are not scientific tests. The first test depends on your
honest assessment of your memory abilities, and it depends on both
your own candor and how accurately you make your assessment. If
you approach the test with a similar attitude both times you take it
(now and after 30 days), you should be reasonably accurate in assessing
your own feelings and perceptions about your memory.
In the second set of tests, there is a problem with taking exactly
the same test as a before-and-after test, because anything you remember
about the first test will improve how you do on the second
one. I have tried to overcome this problem by giving you similar types
of tests to take before and after you read the book, so you can compare
your score. Using the techniques you have learned, you should
do better after 30 days.
Keeping those cautions in mind, here are the tests. I have drawn