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How many types of observation do you think you’d need to get to the bottom of things and remember more – like Sherlock Holmes?
Whether you’re a scientist, private researcher or just someone who wants to know more about the process of observation, the benefits are immense.
For example, you can use observation skills to be a better professional. You’ll be the one who gets the raise because you’re the one who notices the nuances that improve the bottom line.
And make no mistake: Observation is a key to remembering more.
For example, actors use textual analysis as part of remembering Shakespeare better when performing his plays on stage or screen.
Although you might not immediately think of textual analysis as a type of observation, that’s exactly what it is.
So whether you want to be the scientist who wins all the grants and awards or the better student who provides stronger examples in your essays and exams, you’ll want to beef up on your observation skills.
Ready to learn everything you need to know to use observation as part of making your memory better and stronger?
Let’s dive in!
First, the Basics:
4 Types of Observation for Better Memory
According to the authors of The Power of Observation, no matter what type of observation you use, the real goal is objectivity.
When I was completing my PhD at York University, subjectivity was given much higher status. I think that’s important, but in all that I’ve learned over my years of teaching memory techniques, subjectivity is stronger for comprehending and remembering when it’s balanced with objective observation skills.
To get there, you want to work on developing an awareness of the assumptions you naturally make – and weeding them out. Or at least categorizing them so you can reflect on their nature. The use of categorization as a memory aid goes back at least as far as Ramon Llull. I’d suggest looking at categorization as a mnemonic aid in Aristotle as well.
If you’re wondering how you’ll go about successfully observing the categories of your objective and subjective observations, the first step I’d suggest is to learn at least a little about how your memory creates biases. That way, you can bring balance to your subjective and objective observations.
As we go into these major types of observation, keep in mind that we all bring subjective ideas and experiences. We don’t want to weed them out.
But to be truly objective, cultural artefacts stuck in your procedural memory, personal beliefs and your personal interests and feelings need to be set aside or at least contextualized. As hard to accept as it can be, even your professional experience can create false interpretations.
When that happens, we wind up memorizing the wrong things, which is why I’m making such a big deal about this point.
Make no mistake:
Creating distance between yourself as a person and what the data you’re observing actually says is one of the hardest parts of science. But that’s why it’s a good thing that no serious scientist works in isolation. The principles of science itself helps ensure true objectivity will emerge over time.
Here are the techniques that make this possible and how they relate to boosting your memory.
One: Controlled Observation
If you’re a “control freak,” you’ll love what comes next.
That’s because controlled experiments involve a level of technical design, surveying and measurement that gets very granular.
The way controlled experiments generally work is that you set up two separate groups. You treat them exactly the same except for one variable.
A simple example is one you’re probably already familiar with:
When testing drugs, one group will get the real chemical. Another group will get a placebo.
For an example of a controlled experiment related directly to memory, check out this Duke University experiment. Researchers had one group enter an art gallery with minimal instruction.
Researchers told a second group to pretend they were art thieves planning a heist. It turns out that those who pretended to be art thieves remembered much more than those who did not.
There are other kinds of controlled experiments in memory science.
They take place outside of memory science too. For example, on a website like this, you can have half the people see a green subscribe button, and the other half see a blue subscribe button. These kinds of controlled experiments are run by Google, YouTube and even small sites like mine all the time.
In the realm of branding, it’s of huge consequence how shapes, colors and specific words ensure that people remember the names of companies and service providers. They literally require observation and memory to connect in order to succeed on the market.
Controlled Experiments In Memory
Speaking of memory science, here’s a recent example with Drs. David Reser and Tyson Yunkaporta. In their case, they make observations about how medical students succeeded when using ancient memory techniques. One test group used Memory Palaces and mnemonic images to learn a set of complicated words and the other group did not.
If you’ve been observing the main thrust of my message so far, you can probably predict that the group using memory techniques did much better. And you’d be right.
Again, the point is to change only one variable between two groups. That way, you can be sure that what you’re observing is as clear and measurable as possible.
But keep in mind that not all controlled experiments succeed.
Some won’t reach statistical relevance, for example. Others will experience issues with study participants not complying with the instructions. An excellent book on the topic that will help you learn more about these issues is called Failing in the Field: What We Can Learn When Field Research Goes Wrong.
This topic matters a great deal because when people observe a lot of errors in science, they often remember the wrong things about it.
Sadly, poor scientific literacy has led to a lot of problems in our society. But you can be part of the solution by learning more about how people remember information and thinking objectively about what controlled experiments really suggest.
Two: Participant Observation
Ever heard of “immersion journalism?”
One of my favorite examples has to do with memory. In Moonwalking with Einstein, Joshua Foer was hired as a journalist to report on the world of memory competitions.
He did just that, but also wound up observing how memory competitions work through participation. Foer even wound up becoming a USA Memory Champion.
A researcher named Joseph T. Howell basically set the model for this when he wrote Hard Living on Clay Street. Describing the conditions for his study, he identified the following steps:
- Establish rapport with a group or community
- Immerse yourself in the field or site of activity
- Record data and your observations
- Analyze, consolidate and share the information
This is basically what Joshua Foer did when reporting on the world of memory. Ben Cardall does something similar when it comes to methods of detection and deduction in his role as a private investigator. He’s a mnemonist who does a great job of highlighting the importance of bringing observation and memory together.
Three: Naturalistic Observation
Of all the types of observation, naturalistic observation is perhaps the toughest to approach objectively. For one thing, we’re all doing it all the time.
Here’s what I mean:
Everyone is observing the natural world around them. And it’s hard to be objective about our personal experiences. Some people say it’s impossible.
That said, qualitative naturalist observation requires you to objectively record what you’re experiencing.
A simple example is one you might have seen about Dian Fossey in the movie, Gorillas in the Mist. She studied mountain gorillas for decades until she was murdered, primarily in Rwanda. Often, she had just herself and a notebook. Sometimes she had a camera.
These days, people have cellphones which lets them capture sound, video and take notes at the same time. You can also get multiple cameras together and create entertaining studies.
Although somewhat questionable, the mentalist Derren Brown has incorporated many elements of naturalistic observation in his television specials.
But his program, The Secret of Luck draws directly from the scientifically valid research of Richard Wiseman. Based on a ten-year study, Wiseman’s findings are available in his excellent book, The Luck Factor.
Four: Indirect Observation
Everything we’ve just discussed involves direct observation. They’re based on experiments that are set up and observed in real time. Or, they use some kind of form of control in a laboratory.
But what about determining the laws of physics by watching leaves blow around or apples fall from trees? For centuries, scientists have correctly arrived at core truths by thinking indirectly.
To this day, scientists and entrepreneurs use indirect thinking to arrive at “first principles” that help them approach problems in new ways. Being able to arrive at solutions indirectly is just one reason why critical thinking and philosophy remain so important to our species.
4 Proven Ways to Improve Your Observation Skills
Now that you know the major types of observation and observational research, let’s talk about improving your chops in all of these areas.
We’ve just talked about improving your critical thinking skills over all, so let’s start by expanding on this point.
Read Widely
Let’s face it. Developing scientific literary is hard. On top of providing so many data points you need to remember, full objectivity involves a lot of tangling with counterintuitive elements.
But that’s part of what makes the journey exciting. Realizing that the world operates independent of your thoughts and opinions will liberate you in a way only scientific thinking can.
Make sure to also read critical thinking books, philosophy books and take on the challenges of critical thinking exercises and puzzling philosophical questions. These activities will sharpen your mind for being a better observer.
Network with Scientists and Scholars
As I shared above, I’ve interviewed scientists like David Reser and Tyson Yunkaporta. There are many more I’ve recorded conversations with a variety of memory athletes and memory experts on the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast.
I do this for the benefit of my own memory because any opportunity to practice the different types of observation we’ve been discussing leads to authentic memory exercise.
Long before I had my podcast, I put this general principle into practice.
How?
I made sure to get involved in study groups and talked at length with as many of my professors as I could.
Not only will networking help you observe better, but you’ll be observing people who have dedicated their lives to observation itself. You’ll naturally start to model them and put a variety of observation types into action.
Run Your Own Experiments To Practice Different Kinds Of Observation
It almost goes without saying that in order to understand the process of observation as fully as possible, you have to do some.
You don’t have to wait for a professor to give you an assignment. Take some inspiration from Hermann Ebbinghaus, who discovered spaced repetition. He knew the rules that govern a good scientific study during his time and took the initiative to apply them to his interest in observing what actually makes memory function in the ways it does.
One of his observations led him to discover what is now well known as the forgetting curve:
Just like Ebbinghaus, you can set up and run your own experiments to sharpen your observation skills. And when you follow my advice to network with scholars and scientists, you’ll have a sounding board that can help you set up your experiments correctly and analyze them well.
The trick is to experiment based on solid scientific principles. These principles need deliberate practice, and that means time and the support of your network for guidance.
You’ll also need their objective analysis of your experimental data. I’m going through this process myself after having recently submitted a book chapter to a scholarly book on sensation and memory. I can’t wait to observe the feedback from my reviewers and put it into action.
Expand Your Memory
One thing I’ve seen holding so many people back from learning observation skills at the highest possible level is pretty easy to solve.
When you expand your working memory, you’re literally able to process more information in your mind. More information will also enter your long-term memory for objective comparison over time.
Although Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character, the memory skills the stories describe are real. It’s just a matter of learning and practicing them so that you can start to experience the benefits.
If you need help in this area, please grab my FREE Memory Improvement Course (it’s got one of those green buttons I told you I once tested objectively):
Being able to remember more of the information you observe is a pretty obvious win, so please enjoy.
And consider this final point.
Observation Methods for Memory…Do They Really Work?
I believe that simply observing more will itself improve your memory to a certain extent.
I’m not alone in this belief, and I don’t even have to believe it.
See, Dr. Gary Small shared with us the four details exercise, one of many brain exercises which that have been experimentally proven to boost memory. And that’s what makes science great: the data decides, not you or me.
To perform this simple exercise and use it experimentally, here’s what you do. Next time you’re out:
- Pick a person you see to observe
- Choose four details about them (red hair, blue shirt, black pants, brown shoes, etc)
- Write the details down in a notebook
- Set a timer and ask your memory to provide those details
- On a separate piece of paper, write down the details
- Check your memory against the record
Over time, you should find that your memory improves. Even better, the habit of observing others improves. But as always, it’s the data that will tell.
Listen, I’m sharing this exercise because being able to observe is a good unto itself. And the more you practice a variety of observation types, the more your metacognitive learning observation of your own mind will improve.
So it only makes sense to get in as much practice as you can.
With all that in mind, what do you say? Are you ready to go forth and observe the world in a much better way?
