How We Learn audiobook cover - The Surprising Truth About When, Where and Why It Happens

How We Learn

The Surprising Truth About When, Where and Why It Happens

Benedict Carey

★ 4.4 / 5(207 ratings)
Start ListeningDownload App
Categories:
ScienceEducation

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

Listen to How We Learn — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from How We Learn

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from How We Learn

Mind Map

How We Learn
Memory Formation+
Sleep & Consolidation+
Varying Environments+
The Spacing Effect+
Active Testing+
Interruptions & Breaks+
Varied Repetition+
Perceptual Intuition+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 9
How does the brain strengthen our ability to recall a specific memory?
  • A. By moving the memory from the neocortex to the hippocampus
  • B. By reducing the number of neurons to streamline the thought process
  • C. By thickening the synapses in the network of connected neurons
  • D. By storing the memory in a single, isolated area of the brain
Question 2 of 9
What happens to older memories when a person's hippocampus is removed or destroyed?
  • A. They are permanently lost along with the ability to form new memories.
  • B. They remain retrievable because they are stored in a different region called the neocortex.
  • C. They become distorted and unreliable due to the loss of sensory input.
  • D. They are slowly forgotten unless they are frequently recited to others.
Question 3 of 9
According to the text, how should you adjust your sleep schedule if you need to study for a test that requires creative thinking?
  • A. Go to bed early to maximize the first hours of sleep, which are crucial for creativity.
  • B. Stay up late to study, as long as you get a couple of hours of REM sleep in the early morning.
  • C. Avoid sleep entirely the night before, as continuous focus is required for creative tasks.
  • D. Take multiple short naps throughout the day instead of one long block of sleep.
Question 4 of 9
Why is it beneficial to change your study environment, such as alternating between studying in your kitchen and outside?
  • A. It prevents the brain from associating the material with distracting environmental cues.
  • B. It ensures the information is stored in different parts of the brain, increasing retention.
  • C. It eliminates the physical fatigue that occurs when sitting in one specific chair.
  • D. It allows the hippocampus to rest while the neocortex takes over memory formation.
Question 5 of 9
What is the primary benefit of the 'spacing effect' when studying?
  • A. It allows you to spend significantly less total time studying for an exam.
  • B. It keeps the brain from getting bored, thickening synapses over time for long-term retention.
  • C. It forces the brain to rely on perceptual intuition rather than conscious memory.
  • D. It helps you cram more effectively by eliminating distractions the day before a test.
Question 6 of 9
How does taking a multiple-choice test on a topic before you have actually learned anything about it affect your learning?
  • A. It discourages the learner and decreases their final exam scores by 10 percent.
  • B. It creates false memories that make it harder to learn the correct information later.
  • C. It increases the chances of correctly answering related questions on later tests.
  • D. It has no significant impact on learning, but helps educators assess baseline knowledge.
Question 7 of 9
What did researchers discover about the effect of interruptions during small assignments like crossword puzzles?
  • A. Subjects best remembered the tasks that they were unable to complete due to interruptions.
  • B. Interruptions caused subjects to completely forget the tasks they had already finished.
  • C. Subjects who were interrupted completed their overall tasks much faster than those who were not.
  • D. Interruptions permanently broke the subjects' concentration, preventing new ideas.
Question 8 of 9
In the beanbag-tossing study, why did the group that practiced tossing at two and four feet perform better at the three-foot target?
  • A. They spent twice as much total time practicing as the group that practiced at three feet.
  • B. The variation in their training helped them develop a more general tossing ability.
  • C. They were allowed to practice without blindfolds, unlike the other group.
  • D. Practicing at four feet built more muscle memory for distance than practicing at three feet.
Question 9 of 9
How do perceptual learning modules, such as showing medical students rapid pictures of skin rashes, improve their skills?
  • A. They teach students the detailed biological mechanisms behind each rash.
  • B. They force students to memorize the exact medical terms for different diseases.
  • C. They help students develop the ability to make intuitive snap judgments from visual stimuli.
  • D. They slow down the students' thought process so they make fewer diagnostic errors.

How We Learn — Full Chapter Overview

How We Learn Summary & Overview

How We Learn explains the fascinating mechanisms in our minds that form and hold memories, and shows how with this information, we can better absorb and retain information. You’ll explore the many functions of the brain and gain practical advice on how to better study and learn.

Who Should Listen to How We Learn?

  • Anyone who wants to get better grades in school or be a more productive learner
  • Anyone interested in how the brain works
  • Anyone interested in psychology

About the Author: Benedict Carey

Benedict Carey is a science reporter for The New York Times and has penned a number of books, including Poison Most Vial and The Unknowns.

🎧
Listen in the AppOffline playback & background play
Get App