Dublin: (The Conversation) Memory operates through multiple stages and can be improved with simple behavioural changes, according to a researcher from Trinity College Dublin.

The researcher said memory functions across sensory, working and long-term stages, each involving different brain regions, while noting that working memory has limited capacity, as proposed by George Miller.

To enhance memory, the researcher outlined five strategies. First, keeping smartphones away during focused tasks can improve concentration, as their presence may reduce cognitive capacity. Secondly, managing stress through mindfulness or breathing exercises can help free up mental resources.

Then, using “chunking”, or grouping information into meaningful units, can reduce cognitive load and improve recall. Fourthly, practising retrieval—such as testing oneself instead of rereading—helps strengthen memory pathways.

Finally, spaced learning, based on the “forgetting curve” identified by Hermann Ebbinghaus, can improve long-term retention by spreading study sessions over time.

The researcher emphasised that memory improvement depends more on strategy than intelligence, with small changes yielding significant results.