s performed by an English
psychologist, Sleight. The experiment was essentially as follows: He
took a large number of pupils and tested the efficiency of the various
aspects of their memory. He then took half of them and trained one
aspect of their memory until there was considerable improvement. The
other section had no memory training meanwhile. After the training, both
groups again had all aspects of their memory tested. Both groups showed
improvement in all aspects because the first tests gave them some
practice, but the group that had been receiving the training was no
better in those aspects not trained than was the group receiving no
training at all. Aspects of memory much like the one trained showed some
improvement, but other aspects did not.

The conclusion is that memory training is specific, that it affects only
the kind of memory trained, and related memories. This is in harmony
with what we learned about habit. When we receive training, it affects
only the parts of us trained and other closely related parts.

=Learning by Wholes.= We do not often have to commit to memory verbatim,
but when we do, it is important that we should know the most economical
way. Experiments have clearly demonstrated that the most economical way
is to read the entire selection through from beginning to end and
continue to read it through in this way till the matter is learned by
heart.

In long selections, the saving by this method is considerable. A pupil
is not likely to believe this because if he spends a few minutes
learning in this manner, he finds that he cannot repeat a single line,
while if he had concentrated on one line, he could have repeated at
least that much. This is true; but although he cannot repeat a single
line by the whole procedure, he has learned nevertheless. It would be a
good thing to demonstrate this fact to a class; then the pupils would be
satisfied to use the most economical procedure. The plan holds good
whether the matter be prose or poetry.

But experiments have been carried on only with verbatim learning. The
best procedure for learning the facts so that one can give them in one's
own words has not yet been experimentally determined.

=Cramming.= An important practical question is whether it pays to go over
a great amount of material in a very short time, as students often do
before examinations. From all that has been said above, one could infer
the solution to this problem. Learning and mem