Nudge - Marketing Science Simplified
One simple trick to improve your memory
Published: 7 April 2025 at 06:30 Europe/London
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Episode notes
There is one straightforward trick to help you remember more. Today, Dr. Ranganath reveals why testing yourself (even when you fail) can supercharge your memory.
You’ll learn:
Why re-reading notes doesn’t work, but testing yourself does.
How a study with dental students proved the power of error-driven learning.
Why guessing the answer before hearing it makes information stick.
The science-backed technique that beats cramming for exams.
How I memorised my (embarrassing) best man speech
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Charan’s book Why We Remember: https://charanranganath.com/
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Sources:
Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). Über das Gedächtnis: Untersuchungen zur experimentellen Psychologie. Duncker & Humblot.
Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L., III. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319(5865).
Liu, X. L., O’Reilly, R. C., & Ranganath, C. (2021). Effects of retrieval practice on tested and untested information: Cortico-hippocampal interactions and error-driven learning. Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 75, 125–155.
Ranganath, C. (2024). Why we remember: Unlocking memory’s power to hold on to what matters. Doubleday.
Roediger, H. L., III, & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3).
Shotton, R. (2023). The illusion of choice: 16 ½ psychological biases that influence what we buy. Harriman House.
Varghese, A. S., Sankeshwari, R. M., Ankola, A. V., Santhosh, V. N., Chavan, P., Hampiholi, V., Khot, A. J. P., & Shah, M. A. (2024). Effectiveness of error-based active learning compared to conventional lecture-based method among undergraduate dental students: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 13, 268.
