雙語·編碼：將記憶內(nèi)容輸入大腦

Encoding: Putting memories into the brain
編碼：將記憶內(nèi)容輸入大腦

Encoding is a process of imprinting information into the brain. Without proper encoding, there is nothing to store and attempting to retrieve the memory later will fail. One way to improve encoding is simply to repeat the information more times. Scientists who study memory call these repetitions “rehearsals” of the information.
編碼是讓信息在大腦中留下印記的過程。沒有正確的編碼，就沒有可以存儲的內(nèi)容，之后試圖檢索記憶時也會失敗。提高編碼能力的一個辦法就是簡單地把信息重復(fù)更多次。研究記憶的科學(xué)家將這種重復(fù)稱作信息“排演”。

However, as the case with the bank note illustrates, many rehearsals do not always mean you'll successfully recall the information. What makes the difference between this case and the more familiar case of remembering your phone number because you've had to use it a lot?
然而，正如畫鈔票的例子所說明的，多次排演并不總意味著你能成功回想起信息。這個例子與我們熟悉的因為頻繁使用而記住電話號碼之間有什么區(qū)別呢？

When you were trying to memorize the phone number, you did not merely look at it repetitively. Instead, you deliberately tried to memorize it. You may have read it to yourself several times. Maybe you attempted to recall it from your memory, checked whether you were right and corrected yourself accordingly. Perhaps you noticed that there were some relationships between different numbers (e.g. some numbers were the multiples or sums of preceding or following numbers). In summary, you employed certain cognitive strategies and processes. You still needed repetition, but repetition was effective only when used together with these strategies.
在試圖記住電話號碼時，你不是僅僅反復(fù)看，而是有意識地試圖記住它。可能你已經(jīng)在心里念了好幾遍。也許你試圖回想電話號碼，然后檢查自己記得對不對，并做出相應(yīng)的糾正。也許你注意到不同數(shù)字之間有某種聯(lián)系（例如某個數(shù)字是之前或之后數(shù)字的乘積或總和）。概而言之，你運用了特定的認知策略和加工。你依然需要重復(fù)，但只有在和這些策略一起使用時，重復(fù)才有用。

Similarly, if you want to have an effective memory, the cognitive strategies you use will make a big difference on your ability to remember things later.
類似地，如果你想擁有高效的記憶，那么所運用的認知策略將顯著影響你在日后記起事情的能力。

What kind of encoding strategies are most effective?
什么樣的編碼策略是最有效的？

——節(jié)選自《記憶的科學(xué)》