Anitha Achuthan¹, Rohit K²
¹Professor and HOD, Department of Physiology, ²III MBBS Student, Chengalpattu Medical College, Chengalpatttu, Affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Dr.MGR Medical University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

• Background: Learning is acquisition of information and memory is retention and storage of information. The process of learning is most essential to become academically more effective.
• Aim: The present study is aimed to establish that different memory improvement techniques can help to enhance and retain a particular memory for longer time and also to see the influence on gender.
• Materials and Methods: Two hundred young healthy medical students’ males and females of age group 18-25 years were randomly selected for this study (100 males and 100 females). Short term memory status by visual tasks before and after application of memory improvement methods by using words and objects were analyzed. Student’s paired ‘t’ test was used to analyze the memory status before and application of memory improvement methods. ‘Z’ test was used to compare the memory status between the various tests.
• Results: There was statistically significant decrease in short term memory status in higher trials of test. Short term memory status for object test was significantly greater than word test. Females showed a significantly better object memory due to better attention, involvement in task and concentration. There was statistically significant improvement in memory status after application of memory improvement methods in all subjects and more so in females.
• Conclusion: Our study revealed an improvement in memory status after application of memory improvement methods in all subjects and this improvement was more significant in the females.

Keywords: learning, memory, object test, short term memory, visual task, word test