AnnaMarie Houlis
If you’ve never heard of the “method of Loci,” read up.
The method of Loci is a science-backed way to learn new information—and actually remember it. It requires some visualization skills, so this method of learning isn’t for everyone. But if you have a good imagination, the method of Loci can really help you.
Here’s what the method of loci is all about.
What Is the Method of Loci?
The method of loci is a mnemonic memory strategy. It’s also known as the Memory Palace. That’s because it involves imagining yourself inside a room. All of the information you want to learn is placed in the space around you.
The “palace” should be a place that’s already familiar to you. Because you can already think about the room and how it’s set up, you can more easily move through it in your mind. The couch is here; the dresser is over there.
You imagine leaving pieces of information all around the house. Maybe a sticky note on the imaginary fridge. A lipstick note on the mirror.
When you want to remember that information, you go back in that room in your mind and find where you left it.
The method of loci might sound silly, but it really works. Don’t just take our word for it; there are studies to back this up.
Origins of the Method of Loci
The naming of the method of loci is simple. “Loci” is the plural version of the word “locus,” which is Latin for “place” or “location.”
The idea behind it, however, has deeper roots. In fact, it’s about 2,500 years old.
The method of loci is attributed to a Greek orator named Simonides. Legend has it that Simonides was giving a poetry reading in a building, which collapses and kills everyone after the reading. As the only survivor, he was tasked with going back into the building and identifying the bodies for loved ones. And he was able to remember who each of them were because he remembered where they were each sitting around the room.
It makes sense, after all. It’s in our blood and bones to store information in our environments. After all, back in time, knowing where essentials like food and water and shelter all were was how humans had survived.
Nowadays, we can still do the same. You can apply the method of loci to all sorts of situations.
How to Use the Method of Loci
To use the method of loci properly, you need to imagine a place with which you’re familiar. Picture a place in your mind that you know well—somewhere that doesn’t require a lot of energy to think up in your mind. Maybe it’s your bedroom or kitchen, for example.
Once you have a place in mind, picture different parts of the room and give them numbers in an order that makes sense (for example, you’d notice your door before walking through it and noticing your bed). Visualize what those numbered spots look like, and imagine yourself leaving the tidbits of information you want to remember all around the room.
When you want to retrieve the information, go through the linear journey. Follow the path you laid out, whether that path takes you through hallways or to specific pieces of furniture. And pay attention to the features of those spots, which will help you remember the information you imagined leaving in each of them.
Examples of the Method of Loci
The method of loci can come in handy when you want to memorize anything.
For example, say you want to memorize a speech. You should picture placing lines of your speech around the room. Maybe you put one line on the table, and you write the next line on a note on the fridge. Perhaps another is written on the mirror. When it’s time to give your speech, you can visualize walking around the room and reading your lines off the imaginary places where you left them.
Another example: Say you want to remember the lyrics to a song you wrote. You can leave the lyrics lying around the room you have in your mind, too. Write some on the walls. Leave lyrics on notes stuck to the back of the door. Picture placing them all around the imaginary house so, when you sing, you can visualize walking around the house looking at the lyrics.
Benefits of the Method of Loci
Several studies prove the benefits of the method of loci. In 2017, a study published in Neuron, for example, finds that people who use the method of loci have improved memory performances. Those improvements for the study’s participants were observable for upwards of four months.
The method of loci has also been shown to help people remember everyday lists, like grocery items, according to a 2015 study.
A wealth of research suggests that using mnemonic techniques like the method of loci can help people learn and remember more information. Overall, the method of loci can enhance cognitive functioning.
That said, the method of loci isn’t necessarily easy for everyone. After all, it requires a high level of attention, which can be difficult for older adults, in particular. That’s why another study tested whether or not training in the method of loci could be helpful—and it was. The study found that 25 percent of people who were trained in the method of loci continued using it. And, as they did, their memories also improved.
But, if you’re someone who struggles with paying acute attention to the details, the loci method may not be for you. There are tons of other tools to help you memorize more.
Dorothy, for example, is here to help. The app learns when you should study something—and then it delivers it to you in a quiz, so you don’t forget it.