Mnemonic Link System

A mnemonic link system, sometimes also known as a chain method, is a method of remembering lists, based on creating an association between the elements of that list. For example, if one wished to remember the list (dog, envelope, thirteen, yarn, window), one could create a link system, such as a story about a "dog stuck in an envelope, mailed to an unlucky black cat playing with yarn by the window". It is then argued that the story would be easier to remember than the list itself.

A probably more effective method rather than creating a story is to actually link each element of the list with the following, seeing in one's mind's eye an image that includes two elements in the list that are next to each other. This would form an open doubly linked list which could be traversed at will, backwards or forwards. For example, if we wanted to easily memorize the last list one would imagine his or her dog inside of a giant envelope, then one would "see" an unlucky black cat (or whatever reminds the user of the number thirteen; other techniques such as the Major system can assist with this) eating a huge envelope. The same logic should be used with the rest of the items. The observation that absurd images are easier to remember is known as the Von Restorff effect, but was refuted as a mnemonic technique by several studies (Hock et al. 1978; Einstein 1987). Important is not the absurdness but the established interaction between the two words. By combining this method with others, like the Peg system and the Major system (which is used to retain numbers), we can easily get what some people call a trained memory.

However, in order to access a certain element of the list, one needs to "traverse" the system (much in the same vein as a linked list), in order to get the element from the system.

There are three clear limitations to the link system: the first is that there is no numerical order imposed when memorizing, hence the practitioner cannot immediately determine the numerical position of an item- this can be solved by bundling numerical markers at set points in the chain or using the peg system instead. The second limitation is that if any of the items is somehow forgotten (either not vividly visualized in the first place or not refreshed enough) the entire list may be in jeopardy. The third limitation is due to possibly repeated sequences of items which can mix up the images in the mind - a common problem when memorizing binary digits. This limitation can also be resolved either through bundling or by using either the peg system or the method of loci