Rote memorization creates weakness, UC Irvine study says

Anyone who has gone to school has done it – that repetitive style of learning known as “rote memorization."  

The theory behind memorizing by repetition is the more you go over a particular bit of information, the easier it is to recall. But neuroscientists are now finding that the recall ability you will likely gain from the technique may come at a price.

A new UC Irvine study, published in the journal “Learning & Memory” provides the first empirical evidence that rote memorization can actually harm memory for detail, leaving a void that could even pave the way for false memories, say researchers Michael Yassa and Zachariah Reagh. 

So where does repetition go bad in the brain?

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Think of the game of telephone – except instead of distortion happening when a story is whispered from person-to-person, it’s the detail that gets lost or twisted around when the brain goes over it repeatedly.

The takeaway? Rote memorization isn't a bad thing, per se. But you might want to use other memory methods, like creating strong visual images — or word associations — of things you’re trying to remember.

DOCUMENT: Read the UC Irvine study