# 09.毒性记忆 [TOC=3,5] ## 9 Toxic memory ## 毒性记忆 A decline in the [learn drive](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive) as a result of bad learning may come from a lesser buildup of memories, and faster [forgetting](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Forgetting). However, formation of parasitic and toxic memories may also be responsible for a gradual increase in the dislike of school and learning. 糟糕的学习可能会导致[学习内驱力](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive)的下降，因为记忆的积累较少，[遗忘](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Forgetting)速度更快。然而，寄生记忆和毒性记忆的形成也可能导致对学校和学习的厌恶逐渐增加。 ### 9.1 Hate of school ### 讨厌学校 The hate of learning, hate of school, or the hate of a specific subject, such as math, are all based on the same mechanism: **toxic memory**. 对学习的厌恶、对学校的厌恶，或对某一特定学科的厌恶，如数学，都基于同样的机制：**毒性记忆**。 > As it is possible to condition a Pavlov's dog to fear the sound of a bell, it is possible to condition a human being to panic at the sight of a math formula > > 正如有可能使巴甫洛夫的狗对铃声产生恐惧一样，也有可能使人对数学公式产生恐惧 ### 9.2 What are toxic memories? ### 什么是毒性记忆？ For the purpose of [this book](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Problem_of_Schooling), I propose new terms to describe unwelcome memories formed in the learning process: 为了写这本书，我提出了一些新的术语来描述在学习过程中形成的不受欢迎的记忆： * **futile memory** is a memory of [abstract concepts](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Abstract_knowledge) that has a [poor grounding](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coherence) in student's current knowledge \(for an example, see [Unpleasant learning at school](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Unpleasant_learning_at_school)\) * **无意义记忆**是对[抽象概念](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Abstract_knowledge)的记忆，这种抽象概念在学生现有知识中[基础薄弱](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coherence)（举个例子，参见[不愉快的在校学习](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Unpleasant_learning_at_school)） * **persistent memory** is a memory with high [stability](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Stability) that is hard to displace via [interference](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Interference) \(e.g. established early in childhood\) * [持久记忆](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Unpleasant_learning_at_school)是一种高度[稳定](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Stability)的记忆，很难通过[干扰](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Interference)（如在儿童早期建立的记忆）来取代 * **parasitic memory** is a persistent memory that is false and does not want to go away, i.e. it cannot be easily forgotten * **寄生记忆**是一种错误的、不想消失的持久记忆，即不易被遗忘 * **toxic memory** is a persistent or parasitic memory that becomes associated with anxiety or fear * **毒性记忆**是一种与焦虑或恐惧有关的持久记忆或寄生记忆 Futile memories are poorly formed and too irrelevant to be easily remembered. Toxic memories are most dangerous as they may result in fear of learning, fear of schools, and, possibly, some learning disorders. 无意义记忆的组织形式很差，而且相关性太低，不容易记住。毒性记忆是最危险的，因为它们可能导致对学习的恐惧，对学校的恐惧，甚至可能导致一些学习障碍。 The problem of toxic memory in education shows on a massive scale when students, under heavy pressure of deadlines, grades, and exams, use [cramming](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Cramming) without understanding. This can lead to many splinters of meaningless abstract memories that get associated with the state of anxiety. As a result, evoking those memories may lead to anxiety. For example, _math anxiety_ is a term often used for the phenomenon that comes with toxic memories related to mathematics. 教育中毒性记忆的问题在很大程度上表现为，当学生在截止日期、成绩和考试的巨大压力下，在不理解的情况下[死记硬背](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Cramming)。这可能导致许多无意义的抽象记忆碎片与焦虑状态产生联系。因此，唤起这些记忆可能会导致焦虑。例如，_数学焦虑_这个词通常用来形容与数学相关的毒性记忆所带来的现象。 We need to differentiate the origins of toxic memories from the origin of fear in [fear conditioning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_conditioning). Toxic memories can form with all the best intent from parents, teachers, and even the student himself. If a stern physics teacher evokes fear, we may have fear conditioning in action. If a physics diagram evokes anxiety, we may have a case of toxic memory. A fantastic teacher can also contribute to the emergence of toxic memories. In behavioral terms, toxic memories can form even in the absence of an [aversive stimulus](https://behavenet.com/aversive-stimulus). The mere act of ineffectual learning may be the sole source of displeasure. The source of penalty that becomes associated with the learning material. 在[恐惧条件反射](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_conditioning)中，我们需要区分毒性记忆的起源和恐惧的起源。毒性记忆可以从父母、老师、甚至是学生自己的所有最好的意图中形成。如果一个严厉的物理老师引起了恐惧，我们可能在行动中产生了恐惧条件反射。如果一张物理图引起了焦虑，我们可能会有一种毒性记忆。一位出色的老师也会导致毒性记忆的产生。从行为的角度来看，即使没有[令人厌恶的刺激](https://behavenet.com/aversive-stimulus)，毒性记忆也能形成。仅仅是学习效果不佳的行为就可能是不快乐的唯一来源。痛苦的来源将与学习材料产生联系。 The introduction of the term _toxic memory_ is important as this type of memory may lead to a lifelong inability to learn seemingly simple things like multiplication table, sequence of the months, map navigation, etc. It is possible that subsets of [dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia or stuttering](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Can_coercion_cause_dyslexia%3F), may in part be explained by toxic memory. It is also possible that strong toxic memories or a large number of toxic memories play a role in developing depression. _毒性记忆_一词的引入很重要，因为这类记忆可能会导致终生无法学习一些看似简单的东西，比如乘法表、月份序列、地图导航等等。[阅读障碍、书写障碍、计算障碍或口吃](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Can_coercion_cause_dyslexia%3F)的子集可能部分是由毒性记忆造成的。强烈的毒性记忆或大量的毒性记忆也有可能在抑郁症的形成过程中发挥了作用。 > **Toxic memory is essential for understanding that early and accelerated education may be dangerous!** > > **毒性记忆对于理解早期和加速教育可能是危险的至关重要！** The ever faster processing of school [curricula](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Curriculum), with mounting [interference](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Interference) and disintegrating knowledge [coherence](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coherence) are a perfect ground for breeding toxic memories! 学校[课程](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Curriculum)的进展速度越来越快，[干扰](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Interference)越来越多，知识的[连贯性](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coherence)越来越差，这是滋生毒性记忆的完美土壤！ ### 9.3 Toxic memory: mechanism ### 毒性记忆：机制 For a toxic memory to develop, only one factor needs to enter the picture in learning: **displeasure**. If a child, or even an adult, is expected to make an association between concepts A and B, the presence of the penalty signal may result in an association between A and the penalty. 要想形成毒性记忆，学习中只需要一个因素：**不快乐**。如果一个孩子，甚至一个成年人，被期望在概念 A 和 B 之间建立联系，那么惩罚信号的存在可能会导致 A 和惩罚之间产生联系。 > **Displeasure in learning carries a risk of developing toxic memories that may have a dramatic long-term impact on the Learn drive\(i.e. interest in learning\)** > > **学习上的不愉快会带来产生毒性记忆的风险，这可能会对学习内驱力（即学习兴趣）产生巨大的长期影响** Toxic memories, like all memories, are subject to generalization. This is how a toxic memory associated with particular knowledge, e.g. a math formula, may spread into the context, e.g. depiction of a school building, or the photograph of a specific teacher. Reciprocally, a stern teacher will facilitate formation of toxic memories in learning. 毒性记忆，就像所有的记忆一样，都是泛化的。这就是与特定知识相关的毒性记忆，比如一个数学公式，是如何传播到语境中的，比如对一所学校建筑的描述，或者特定老师的照片。反过来，一个严厉的老师也会促进毒性记忆的形成。 Toxic memories can be prevented easily by full compliance with the [Fundamental law of learning](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Fundamental_law_of_learning). 只要完全遵守[学习基本规律](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Fundamental_law_of_learning)，毒性记忆是可以轻易避免的。 ### 9.4 School: an unhappy institution ### 学校：一个令人不快的机构 The concept of [toxic memory](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Toxic_memory) makes it easy to explain the inherent inefficiency of schooling. [毒性记忆](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Toxic_memory)的概念很容易解释学校教育固有的低效。 Imagine you travelled to Japan and mastered a few phrases of Japanese. This gave you immense joy. You could impress your Japanese friends with your progress, your accent and your courtesy. On arrival home, on the wave of enthusiasm you decided to master Japanese. The best tool for that is, naturally, [spaced repetition](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Spaced_repetition). 想象一下，你去日本旅行，掌握了几句日语。这给了你巨大的快乐。你的进步，你的口音和你的礼貌会给你的日本朋友留下深刻的印象。一到家，就在这股热潮中你决定学好日语。最好的方法自然是[间隔重复](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Spaced_repetition)。 After a few months of [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo), you build up a huge vocabulary of Japanese, but also build up a number of [leeches](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Leech) that never want to stick to your memory. Those words you always confuse with others words. Soon you discover that the mere appearance of that yellow template you used for your Japanese items gives you an unpleasant feeling: _"Oh. Those unmemorizable Japanese words are coming"_. To your amazement, the dislike also hit those lovely phrases that you mastered in Japan and that made you so proud. They are still easy, but as soon as you see them in that yellow setting, they give you shivers. Why? This is a toxic memory. In this case, it is toxicity associated with the context, not with a memory itself. The same word evoked again in some pleasant setting would make you proud as a year ago. 在使用了几个月的 [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo) 之后，你积累了大量的日语词汇，但同时也积累了一些永远不愿留在你记忆中的[水蛭](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Leech)。你总是把那些词和其他词混淆起来。很快你就会发现，仅仅是你在日语项目中使用的黄色模板的外观就会给你一种不愉快的感觉：_「哦。那些无法记住的日语单词就要来了」_。令你惊讶的是，这种不喜欢也击中了你在日本掌握的那些让你感到自豪的可爱短语。它们仍然很简单，但是当你看到它们在黄色的背景下，它们会让你发抖。为什么？这是一种毒性记忆。在这种情况下，毒性与环境有关，而与记忆本身无关。如果在某个令人愉快的场合再次听到这个词，你会像一年前那样感到自豪。 The same happens at school. Kids quickly get conditioned to see school as a place of [coercion and oppression](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coercion_in_learning). A vast majority begins to dislike the experience. This overrides their natural [learn drive](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive). Things they would love to study at home become as burdensome and unpleasant as the rest of the schooling experience. Enter a young, enthusiastic, and smiling teacher with flashy experiments and videos. She is quickly disheartened by the difficulty to awaken the crowd. Her enthusiasm meets with indifference. This can break the most passionate heart. Best teachers in best schools are often helpless. It takes just one Mr Johnson to ruin the whole experience for everyone. This is that hated physics teacher who seems to enjoy his power and his oppressive tools. He conditions kids to hate school, and, as a consequence, he also conditions all those good teachers who bend over backwards to change the status quo. The enthusiasm of young teachers slowly turns into discouragement and loss of joy. 同样的情况也发生在学校。孩子们很快就习惯了把学校看作是一个充满[强制和压迫](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coercion_in_learning)的地方。绝大多数人开始不喜欢这种经历。这超越了他们天生的[学习内驱力](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive)。他们喜欢在家里学习的东西变得和其他学习经历一样繁重和不愉快。一位年轻、热情、面带微笑的老师带着炫目的实验和视频走进教室。她很难唤醒人群，很快就灰心丧气了。她的热情遇到冷漠。这能伤了最多情的心。最好的学校里最好的老师往往是无能为力的。只要一个 Mr.Johnson 就能毁掉所有人的整个经历。这就是那个讨厌的物理老师，他似乎喜欢他的权力和他的压迫工具。他让孩子们讨厌学校，因此，他也让所有那些竭尽全力改变现状的好老师也接受了现状。年轻教师的热情慢慢地变成了沮丧和失去快乐。 > **The school system is an inherently unhappy structure**. It has an uncanny ability to turn learning, one of the [greatest joys of life](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Pleasure_of_learning), into a form of mental torture. > > **学校制度本质上就是一种不愉快的组织**。它有一种不可思议的能力，能把学习——[人生最大的乐趣](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Pleasure_of_learning)之一——变成一种精神折磨。 ### 9.5 Early learning programs ### 早期学习计划 It is an adult-centric point of view: the whole learning process is based on reading, reading is based on decoding texts, texts are made of letters. As the alphabet is the underlying basis of whole learning, it is easy for an adult to believe that kids should learn the alphabet early, and take on reading early. Early reading programs make it explicit: early reading makes your kids smarter. In reality, the opposite may happen. Early reading program can condition a dislike of reading and make your kids dumber. 这是一个以成人为中心的观点：整个学习过程是基于阅读，阅读是基于解码文本，文本是由字母组成的。因为字母表是整个学习的基础，所以成年人很容易认为孩子应该早点学习字母表，早点开始阅读。早期阅读课程让你的孩子更聪明。实际上，可能会发生相反的情况。早期阅读计划可以培养孩子对阅读厌恶，让他们变得更笨。 The child-centric point of view is that alphabet is a set of abstract symbols that have no semantic connection with reality. The alphabet cannot be easily placed on a tree of knowledge via a natural [learn drive](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive) mechanism. The only way to memorize the alphabet fast is through drilling, possibly supported by mnemonic techniques that are never easy to use with children. Children love to learn and they enjoy learning the alphabet. However, for the [learn drive](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive) to the be the sole healthy mechanism behind such a learning process, kids need to be given space and time. It may take 3-6 years for establishing all necessary semantic connections that bring the alphabet in a live healthy form to a child's memory. However, all connections established via the learn drive are likely to be durable and nearly never become toxic. 以儿童为中心的观点是，字母表是一组抽象的符号，与现实没有语义上的联系。通过一种自然的[学习内驱力](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive)机制，字母表不可能轻易地放在知识树上。快速记忆字母表的唯一方法是通过训练，可能还需要记忆技巧的支持，而这些技巧对孩子来说从来就不容易使用。孩子们喜欢学习，他们喜欢学习字母表。然而，为了让[学习内驱力](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive)成为这种学习过程背后唯一健康的机制，孩子们需要被给予空间和时间。可能需要 3 到 6 年的时间来建立所有必要的语义连接，使字母表以一种健康活泼的形式进入孩子的记忆。然而，通过学习内驱力建立的所有连接都可能是持久的，而且几乎永远不会有毒。 Little wonder kids get to know the letter "O" first. "O" is used often and its shape is easy to recognize. However, kids drilled on the alphabet and numbers can quickly produce a toxic confusion between O and 0 \(zero\). The harder the drill, the stronger the connection, the more toxic the memory and the greater the negative consequences. Instead, getting to know numbers and the alphabet should proceed naturally. 难怪孩子们首先会认识字母「O」。「O」经常使用，它的形状很容易识别。然而，孩子们反复练习字母和数字，很快就会在 O 和 0（零）之间产生毒性混淆。练习越努力，这种联系就越强，记忆的毒性就越大，负面影响也就越大。相反，了解数字和字母应该是自然而然的事情。 > Only natural learning reliant on the [learn drive](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive) makes it possible to form a [coherent](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coherence) mnemonic representations that last for life > > 只有依靠[学习内驱力](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive)的自然学习，才有可能形成一个[连贯的](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coherence)记忆表征，并持续终生 Digits 6 and 9 can easily get confused. To a child's brain with unprimed sensory processing, they look the same. Drilling, esp. with [spaced repetition](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Spaced_repetition) can have disastrous consequences. Discrimination may become conflation. Toxic memories can last through childhood if the review is frequent enough. This prevents establishing healthy connections. Instead, the kid should be free to roam the world and look for a meaningful connection for those numbers. An animated cartoon movie '"\[9\]\([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9\_\(2009\_animated\_film](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9_%282009_animated_film)\)\)"' could do the job, or perhaps _Percy_, the engine \#6. Once a mnemonic association is made, it can get established well deep in the neocortex in the [right context](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coherence), and serve a lifetime of number juggling for a novelist or a mathematician alike. 数字 6 和 9 很容易混淆。对于一个没有启动感官处理的孩子的大脑来说，它们看起来是一样的。训练，特别是[间隔重复](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Spaced_repetition)训练，可能会造成灾难性的后果。辨别可能会变成合并。如果复习足够频繁，毒性记忆可以持续整个童年。这阻碍了建立健康的联系。相反，孩子应该自由地漫游世界，为这些数字寻找有意义的联系。一部动画电影《\[9\]\([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9\_\(2009\_animated\_film\)\)》就能做到这一点，或许](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9_%282009_animated_film%29%29》就能做到这一点，或许) 6 号引擎 _Percy_ 也能做到。一旦形成了一种记忆联系，它就可以在新大脑皮层的深处，在[正确的语境](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coherence)中建立起来，并为小说家或数学家这样的人提供终生的数字戏法。 Kids drilled in alphabet, especially if this happens too early, and if they are drilled reluctantly, can easily develop toxic memories. Toxic memories can lead to problems we would [classify as dyslexia](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Can_coercion_cause_dyslexia%3F), even if there is no underlying neurophysiological cause. 孩子们接受字母训练，特别是如果这发生得太早，如果他们不情愿地接受训练，很容易形成毒性记忆。即使没有潜在的神经生理学原因，毒性记忆也会导致被我们[归为阅读障碍](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Can_coercion_cause_dyslexia%3F)的问题。 The same is true of math. Kids drilled on digits, numbers and counting, may develop a dislike of arithmetic or long-lasting problems with number memory. They fail to develop natural mnemonic props that help them juggle numbers easily. This is how we get adults who still fail multiplication table and consider math their least favorite subject at school. 数学也是如此。孩子们反复练习位数、数字和计数，可能会对算术产生反感，或者长期存在数字记忆问题。他们无法发展出自然的助记工具来帮助他们轻松地应付数字。这就是为什么我们让那些仍然没有通过乘法表的成年人认为数学是他们在学校最不喜欢的科目。 For some adults, multiplication table integrates with their math brain and is employed dozens of times in a single day. For others, toxic memories formed by early drilling keep it out of reach for lifetime. Some adults never confuse left and right, others will try to recall on which hand they keep a watch or where the heart is located in their chest. These minor inefficiencies are nearly always a result of heavy drilling in childhood. Two factors are to be blamed in most cases: \(1\) **stress** or \(2\) **coercion**. 对于一些成年人来说，乘法口诀表与他们的数学大脑相结合，在一天内被使用了几十次。对另一些人来说，早期训练形成的毒性记忆会让他们终生无法接触到。一些成年人从不混淆左右，另一些人会试图回忆他们用哪只手看表，或者心脏在他们的胸腔里。这些微小的低效几乎总是儿童时期大量训练的结果。在大多数情况下，有两个因素应该受到责备：\(1\)**压力**\(2\)**强制**。 ### 9.6 Mathematics ### 数学 Mathematics is the queen of science. It is also a queen of toxic memory. The reason is not that mathematic is more difficult than chemistry or literature. The key reason is that mathematic uses its own language of formulas. [Formulas form a perfect abstraction](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Abstract_knowledge) if they do not get associated with the meaning of individual variables or terms. If you fail to remember the answer to _What is the capital of Thailand?_, you are soothed by the fact that the question is posed in English and you might have heard of Thailand. If you fail to remember _log\(x\_y\)=?_, you might have just experienced gibberish and your only reaction is an increase in stress levels.\_ Math anxiety\* is nothing else but a sufficiently large set of toxic memories associated with mathematics. Those memories may generalize onto many contexts in which you meet mathematics. It may even happen that you will be traumatized for life. You may hate all books in yellow cover just because of that most hated book in math that had a yellow cover too. 数学是科学之王。它也是毒性记忆的皇后。原因不是数学比化学或文学更难。关键原因是数学使用了自己的公式语言。如果公式不与单个变量或术语的含义相关联，那么[公式形成了一个完美的抽象](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Abstract_knowledge)。如果你不记得泰国首都是什么？这个问题是用英语提出的，你可能听说过泰国。如果你忘了_log\(x × y\)=？_，你可能刚刚经历了胡言乱语，你唯一的反应是压力水平的增加。数学焦虑只不过是与数学相关的大量毒性记忆。这些记忆可以推广到你遇到数学的许多情境中。甚至有可能你会受到终生的精神创伤。你可能讨厌所有黄色封面的书，因为那本最讨厌的数学书的封面也是黄色的。 See also: [Benezet experiment on the impact of early math instruction](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Early_math_instruction_may_backfire) 参见：Benezet [实验对早期数学教学的影响](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Early_math_instruction_may_backfire) ### 9.7 Alzheimer's disease ### 老年痴呆症 You must have heard that learning prevents Alzheimer's. Scientists noticed that years of schooling add to reducing your chances for that disease. However, few reports seem to consider the difference between [good learning](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Pleasure_of_learning) and bad learning that involves forming toxic memories. The root cause of Alzheimer's is _network overload_ and associated _excitotoxicity_. This is compounded by genetic predispositions, diet, lifestyle, etc. However, without network abuse, the neurodegenerative process might not show up. The same problem might be occurring in Down syndrome kids. Their brain processing power is simply diminished. This is why toxic memories might also be bad for brain health. For more see: [How schools can contribute to Alzheimer's disease](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/How_schools_can_contribute_to_Alzheimer%27s_disease) and [Bad learning contributes to Alzheimer's](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Bad_learning_contributes_to_Alzheimer%27s). 你一定听说过学习可以预防老年痴呆症。科学家们注意到，多年的学校教育增加了患这种疾病的几率。然而，似乎很少有报告考虑到[好的学习](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Pleasure_of_learning)和坏的学习之间的区别，包括形成毒性记忆。阿尔茨海默病的根本原因是网络超载和相关的兴奋性毒性。这与遗传倾向、饮食、生活方式等因素有关。然而，如果没有网络滥用，神经退化过程可能不会出现。同样的问题也可能发生在唐氏综合症儿童身上。他们的大脑处理能力被削弱了。这就是为什么毒性记忆也可能对大脑健康有害。更多信息请见：[学校如何导致阿尔茨海默氏症](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/How_schools_can_contribute_to_Alzheimer%27s_disease)和[糟糕的学习如何导致阿尔茨海默氏症](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Bad_learning_contributes_to_Alzheimer%27s)。 ### 9.8 Examples ### 例子 I have built up a large collection of stories about the origin and character of toxic memories. I will mention a few examples here. 我收集了大量关于毒性记忆的起源和特征的故事。我将在这里提到几个例子。 #### 9.8.1 Fear of fractions #### 恐惧分式 I spoke to a young lady who uses a calculator at work for a few hours per day. Despite this, her math skills are negligible. She is interested in sociology. Even in sociology, considered a branch of humanities, math plays a big role. She never reads books soaked with formulas, but even statements like "one third" of a population or "one tenth" of a population are scary. Somehow 33% and 10% sound much friendlier because she meets percentages on a daily basis at work. How can an intelligent lady with college education struggle with such seemingly simple concepts? I could track it back to her childhood. She claims she was not under a tremendous pressure to learn math. Just the opposite. Her teachers did not seem to care. However, I quickly disproved that claim by finding out that at older ages, the pressure started mounting up. She would not want to disappoint her parents and meeting math class minima started getting harder and harder. Today, fractions _"make her stiff"_. When I explain that the problem of 1/10 and 1/3 can be easily solved by just memorizing 8 pairs: 1/2=50%, 1/3=33%, ... 1/10=10%, she smiled as if I summarized the Book of Revelations. How is that possible that for nearly a decade since college, in a job that involves math, with intelligent reading, with interest in the news on TV, etc. she did not come up with a simple idea of memorizing 8 numbers? The explanation might only be in toxic memories. Her brain developed a pathological reaction to the sight of fractions: panic! In a panicky state, she cannot see the big picture, she cannot slow down, she cannot think straight. This is not math anxiety. This is math phobia grown to the size of math panic. 我和一位年轻女士交谈过，她每天在工作中使用计算器几个小时。尽管如此，她的数学能力微不足道。她对社会学感兴趣。即使在被认为是人文学科分支的社会学中，数学也扮演着重要的角色。她从不读满是公式的书，但即使是像「三分之一」或「十分之一」这样的说法也很可怕。不知何故，33% 和 10% 听起来更友好，因为她每天在工作中都能遇到百分比。一个受过大学教育的聪明女人怎么会与这些看似简单的概念作斗争呢？我可以追溯到她的童年。她声称自己并没有承受学习数学的巨大压力。恰恰相反。她的老师似乎并不在意。然而，我很快就反驳了这一说法，因为我发现，随着年龄的增长，压力开始增加。她不想让父母失望，数学课上的最低要求越来越难。今天，分数「_让她变得僵硬_」。当我解释 1/10 和 1/3 的问题可以很容易地解决，只要记住 8 对：1/2=50%，1/3=33%，…1/10=10%，她笑了，好像我在总结《启示录》。大学毕业后的近十年里，她从事一份涉及数学、阅读能力强、对电视新闻感兴趣的工作，怎么可能连一个简单的记忆数字的方法都没有想到呢？这种解释可能只存在于毒性记忆中。看到分数时，她的大脑产生了一种病态的反应：恐慌！在恐慌的状态下，她看不到大局，她不能放慢脚步，她不能清醒地思考。这不是数学焦虑。这是一种由数学恐惧症发展到数学恐慌的程度。 #### 9.8.2 Fear of reading #### 恐惧阅读 A child can have dramatically different reactions to the same letter or to a sequence of characters depending on the context. Coercive programs for early reading are notorious for sparking toxic memories. A sequence of letters mastered in the context of happy play may bring aversion and hate of learning if presented in the context associated with [learning coercion](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coercion_in_learning). A hypothesis says that [this is how dyslexia may develop](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Can_coercion_cause_dyslexia%3F) in a subset of cases. [Democratic schools](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Democratic_school) boast of knowing no dyslexia. In a democratic school, kids can learn to read at their preferred age, sometimes even in teen years. [Raymond Moore](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Raymond_Moore) insists that reading remedial programs are populated primarily by kids recruited from early reading programs, and other programs where coercion might be in use. It is enough for an early reading program to generate minor gaps in knowledge, e.g. knowledge of phonics, those gaps may later snowball into reading difficulties that will be interpreted as a penalty. This penalty signal is enough to develop a toxic memory: dislike or fear of reading. 根据上下文的不同，孩子对同一个字母或一系列字符可能会有截然不同的反应。强制性的早期阅读计划因引发毒性记忆而臭名昭著。快乐游戏情境下掌握的字母序列，如果呈现在与[强制学习](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coercion_in_learning)相关的情境中，可能会带来对学习的厌恶和憎恨。有一种假说认为，这是[阅读障碍在某些情况下的发展过程](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Can_coercion_cause_dyslexia%3F)。[民主学校](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Democratic_school)自诩不存在阅读障碍。在民主学校，孩子们可以在他们喜欢的年龄学习阅读，有时甚至在十几岁的时候。[Raymond Moore](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Raymond_Moore) 坚持认为，阅读辅导项目主要由从早期阅读项目和其他可能使用强迫手段的项目中招募的孩子组成。一个早期的阅读计划在知识上产生小的差距就足够了，例如语音知识，这些差距可能会在以后发展成阅读障碍，并被解释为一种惩罚。这种惩罚信号足以形成一种毒性记忆：不喜欢或害怕阅读。 #### 9.8.3 Multiplication table #### 乘法表 Many adults fail to master the multiplication table. It is amazing to see people who deal with numbers on a daily basis, and still struggle with simple multiplication. An omnipresent calculator masks the phenomenon. I personally know a few cases of high-IQ individuals who struggle with multiplication table. They seem to agree that [heavy drilling in early childhood](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Abandon_early_math_instruction!) is the chief culprit. Once toxic memories get etched in young networks, they are very hard to dislodge. For anyone fluent in multiplication, struggling with 7 × 8 seems hardly possible. If smart people who struggle with 7 × 8 did not keep hiding their problem, we might finally stop attributing this to lesser cognitive capacity. A toxic memory can easily make anyone look less clever than they really are. It is not about intelligence or memory, it is all about _"brain panic"_. The question _7\_8=? \_brings the following response in the affected mind:_ OMG! Multiplication table again! I will sure fail ... was it 49, 56 or 63 ... I knew it, ... is anyone looking? ... no, no chance .. no idea ... I hate my life ...\*. 许多成年人不会乘法表。看到人们每天都在处理数字，却仍然在与简单的乘法作斗争，真是令人惊讶。无处不在的计算器掩盖了这一现象。我个人就认识几个高智商的人，他们在乘法表上很吃力。他们似乎一致认为，[童年早期的大量训练](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Abandon_early_math_instruction!)是罪魁祸首。一旦毒性记忆在年轻的网络中蚀刻，就很难清除。对于任何精通乘法的人来说，与 7 × 8 作斗争似乎是不可能的。如果那些与 7 × 8 斗争的聪明人不继续隐藏他们的问题，我们可能最终会将其归咎于较低的认知能力。毒性记忆很容易让人看起来不那么聪明。这与智力或记忆力无关，而是与「_大脑恐慌_」有关。问题 _7 × 8 = ？_在受影响的脑海中会产生以下反应：_天哪！又是乘法表了！我一定会失败……是 49 、56 还是 63 ……我知道……有人看吗？…不，不可能…不知道……我讨厌我的生活……_ #### 9.8.4 Sequence of months #### 月份顺序 I have documented a case of a girl who struggled with memorizing the sequence of months in childhood. The case might go unnoticed in a mass of similar cases, if the same girl did not show that learning the same sequence of months in German a decade later appeared surprisingly easy. Even more, the newly established sequence of month in German served as an early prop for memory issues with the same sequence in Polish. Amazingly, this highly intelligent lady, now in her late twenties, still uses the German sequence of months each time she confuses Polish names. To add spice to this unusual case, her German is now in serious retreat. She does not use the language too often. However, the sequence of months is absolutely unforgettable. She now uses it as a mnemonic skeleton to cover up the set of toxic memories developed in childhood. 我曾经记录过一个女孩的例子，她在童年时期就很难记住几个月的顺序。如果同一个女孩没有表现出在十年后学习同样的德语月份序列似乎出奇地容易，那么在大量类似的案例中，这个案例可能会被忽视。更重要的是，德语中新建立的月份序列与波兰语中相同的序列作为记忆问题的早期支撑。令人惊讶的是，这位非常聪明的女士，现在快 30 岁了，每次她混淆波兰语的名称时，仍然使用德语的月份序列。为了给这个不寻常的案例增添趣味，她的德语现在正严重退步。她不经常使用这种语言。然而，这几个月的顺序绝对令人难忘。她现在用它作为记忆骨架来掩盖童年时期形成的毒性记忆。 The scenario here is pretty typical for similar cases of troubled development. In a highly literate and highly intelligent family, the pressure to learn fast and learn early is magnified. At the same time, talented kids often show prolonged period of exuberant brain development. This means hitting all milestones with delay as compared with the average. All delays are seen not as a chance for the brain to develop but as a case of retardation. To make things worse, the girl has an older brother who excelled at school and is now a prominent lawyer who I know from Polish TV. Not only was a smart girl behind the average, she was instantly being compared to her brother who got 3 years of a head start. Needless to say, the girl developed a pretty universal hatred of academic subjects, and a deep dislike of school, which lasted into her teens. When she was 10 years old, and she still struggled with counting months, the whole world seems to have noticed. Little wonder, there were whispers in the family that the girl is not as sharp a pencil as her brother. In the end, she effortlessly graduated from college, and is now extremely successful in her professional life. She is a great mom too. Her kid knows no pressure to perform at school. 这里的场景对于类似的问题开发案例非常典型。在一个文化程度高、智力水平高的家庭里，快速学习和早期学习的压力被放大了。与此同时，有天赋的孩子往往会表现出长期旺盛的大脑发育。这意味着与平均水平相比，所有里程碑的完成都有延迟。所有的延迟都不被视为大脑发育的机会，而是一种发育迟缓。更糟糕的是，这个女孩的哥哥学习成绩很好，现在是一位著名的律师，我从波兰电视台认识他。一个聪明的女孩不仅落后于平均水平，而且马上就被拿来和她的哥哥相比，她的哥哥领先了三年。不用说，这个女孩对学术科目产生了一种相当普遍的憎恨，对学校也产生了深深的厌恶，这种厌恶一直持续到她十几岁的时候。当她 10 岁的时候，她还在努力数着月份，整个世界似乎都注意到了。难怪全家人都在窃窃私语说这个女孩不如她哥哥。最后，她毫不费力地从大学毕业，现在在她的职业生涯中非常成功。她也是一个伟大的母亲。她的孩子知道在学校没有压力。 This case hints powerfully at a wrong interpretation of the case of [bilingual boy with monolingual dyslexia](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Bilingual_boy_with_dyslexia_in_English_only) described in Cognition \(1999\). While experts would like to see that case of dyslexia as a proof of superiority of languages based on [phonemic orthography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonemic_orthography), I would urge researchers to pay a closer look to toxic memories that result from early academic instruction. There are no obvious differences between names of months in Polish and in German. There was only one striking difference: while Polish months were learned under pressure, German months were [learned for pleasure](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Pleasure_of_learning) as a hobby at much later age. Cognitive readiness and joy of learning made for a world of difference. 这个案例有力地暗示了对《认知\(1999\)》中[患有单语阅读障碍的双语男孩](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Bilingual_boy_with_dyslexia_in_English_only)的错误解释。尽管专家们希望将这一阅读障碍的案例视为基于音位正字法的语言优越性的证明，但我还是敦促研究人员更仔细地研究早期学术教学中产生的毒性记忆。波兰语和德语的月份名称没有明显的区别。只有一个显著的区别：波兰语的月份是在压力下学习的，而德语的月份则是在长大后作为一种爱好来学习的，是[为了快乐而学](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Pleasure_of_learning)。认知准备和学习的乐趣创造了一个不同的世界。 Paradoxically, early instruction is rampant in highly intelligent and highly literate families. In addition, all delays are noticed earlier, and intervention is more likely. This usually makes things worse. 矛盾的是，早期教育在高智商和高文化程度的家庭中非常盛行。此外，所有的落后都会更早被注意到，干预的可能性也更大。这通常会使事情变得更糟。 #### 9.8.5 Delaying math instruction #### 推迟数学教学 When people I love are in a fight, the subject deserves double attention. [Peter Gray](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Peter_Gray) is the most inspiring contemporary light in the area of [unschooling](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Unschooling). Larry Sanger is a fantastic [homeschooling](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Homeschooling) dad. Incidentally, Larry also invented Wikipedia for which I will be forever grateful. When Larry got upset with Gray, it was all about understanding the power of **toxic memory**. See: [Peter Gray under attack from Larry Sanger](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Peter_Gray_under_attack_from_Larry_Sanger). 当我热爱的人吵架时，这个话题值得加倍关注。[Peter Gray](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Peter_Gray) 是当代[非学校教育](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Unschooling)领域最鼓舞人心的人物。Larry Sanger 是一个了不起的[在家上学](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Homeschooling)的父亲。顺便说一句，Larry 还发明了维基百科，我永远感激不尽。当 Larry 对 Gray 不满时，他所做的一切都是为了理解**毒性记忆**的力量。参见：[Peter Gray 受到 Larry Sanger 的攻击](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Peter_Gray_under_attack_from_Larry_Sanger)。 #### 9.8.6 Fear with no purpose #### 恐惧无目的 Toxic memories can paralyze the mind. They can turn an otherwise smart human being into a replica of an enslaved robot. The not-so-funny joke below delivered one of the most convincing personal moments in my investigations: 毒性记忆会麻痹大脑。他们可以把一个原本聪明的人变成一个被奴役的机器人的复制品。下面这个并不好笑的笑话，是我调查中最令人信服的亲身经历之一： > Anecdote. [Why use anecdotes?](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Why_use_anecdotes%3F) > > 轶事。[为什么要用轶事？](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Why_use_anecdotes%3F) > > The old math joke goes like this: _The ship carries 20 sheep and 16 goats. How old is the captain?\_When I found out that a large proportion of kids answer this question with 36, I was in disbelief. I struggled with empathy for a brain that would be so badly derailed. When I jokingly tested this question on a first grader, the conversation was not too surprising. The answer was 50. The justification was:_ "My mom is 25. I think that captain should be a bit smarter. I think 50 would be just fine"\_. I was amused with kid's self confidence, but noticed that his mom started being uncomfortable. As if she feared she would be next. This required further testing. I ruthlessly asked the math question. I was in shock when mom delivered that infamous verdict: 36. I instantly knew this could only be explained by [toxic memories](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Toxic_memories). The lady had been paralyzed by the fear of math and, with a knee jerk reaction, assumed the answer must be in numbers in the question. Like a well-schooled robot, she provided the answer. This is what poorly delivered math training does to young minds: **useless fear**! Fear with no purpose at the cost freedom and long hours of drilling in a school bench. Interestingly, the lady is a shopping clerk and she seems to be pretty fluent with numbers. It is that toxic memory of a typical question delivered by a math teacher that jumbled her mind and destroyed the pleasure of the day. Contrast that with an undamaged kid who hypothesized fearlessly. I can only hope his free thinking does not get damaged at school > > 古老的数学笑话是这样说的：这艘船载着 20 只绵羊和 16 只山羊。船长多大了？当我发现大部分孩子的答案都是 36 岁时，我简直不敢相信。对于一个会严重出轨的大脑，我很难产生同理心。当我在一年级的时候开玩笑地测试这个问题时，这个对话并不太令人惊讶。答案是 50。理由是：「我妈妈 25 岁。我觉得船长应该更聪明一点。我想 50 就可以了。」我被孩子的自信逗乐了，但注意到他妈妈开始感到不舒服。好像她害怕自己会是下一个。这需要进一步的测试。我无情地问了这个数学问题。当妈妈说出那个臭名昭著的结论：36 时，我惊呆了。我立刻意识到这只能用[毒性记忆](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Toxic_memories)来解释。这位女士被数学的恐惧吓呆了，她本能地认为答案一定是问题中的数字。就像一个受过良好教育的机器人，她给出了答案。这就是糟糕的数学训练对年轻人的影响：**无用的恐惧**！毫无目的的恐惧以牺牲自由和长时间在学校长凳上训练为代价。有趣的是，这位女士是一名购物员，她似乎对数字很熟练。正是对数学老师提出的一个典型问题的毒性记忆扰乱了她的思维，破坏了她一天的快乐。与之形成对比的是，一个没有受伤的孩子大胆地假设。我只能希望他的自由思维不会在学校受到损害 This is how I see the events occurring in a panicked math brain. It all begins with a recognition of a typical math task. This instantly triggers a [toxic memory](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Toxic_memory) that associates math with the state of anxiety. The fear of math paralyzes all intellectual capacities that might lead to a rational solution. In neural terms, well-polished networks trigger fast, high performance, high [stability](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Stability) circuits that instantly take over the job of finding the solution. Those circuits are characterized by low [coherence](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coherence) and do not integrate well with the world knowledge. They are targeted at providing a robotic solution by employing fast thinking. The algorithm for finding the solution might have, over years, through [interference](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Interference), lost all its vestiges of responding to the actual logical input involved in the task. Instead, the brain strips the problem to bare bones and follows the algorithm: 这就是我如何看待在一个惊慌失措的数学头脑中发生的事情。这一切都始于对一个典型数学任务的认识。这会立即引发一种[毒性记忆](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Toxic_memories)，将数学与焦虑状态联系起来。对数学的恐惧会麻痹所有可能引导理性解决方案的智力。从神经学的角度来说，经过精心打磨的网络能够触发快速、高性能、高[稳定性](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Stability)的回路，这些回路能够立即接管寻找解决方案的工作。这些回路的特点是低[连贯性](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coherence)，不能很好地与世界知识集成。他们的目标是通过快速思考提供机械的解决方案。多年来，通过[干扰](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Interference)，寻找解决方案的算法可能已经失去了对任务中涉及的实际逻辑输入作出响应的所有痕迹。相反，大脑会把问题剥得精光，并遵循以下算法： * if two numbers appear in a math task, employ 4 basic operators: +, -, \*, :, and choose the result that is most plausible * 如果一个数学任务中出现两个数字，使用4个基本运算符：+，-，×，÷，并选择最合理的结果 * if there is little time left \(for solving the test\), pick addition, which is easiest. In a multiple-choice test, it still provides 25% chance of success * 如果剩下的时间不多（用于解决测试），选择加法，这是最简单的。在多项选择题测试中，它仍然提供 25% 的成功机会 * if numbers are too big to employ the operator, give up and jump to the next test to solve. In real life, play a diversion game, and cover up your tracks. Be sure you do not get caught with hot ignorance in your hands. Don't let anyone see you with your math pants down * 如果数字太大而无法运算，放弃并跳转到下一个要解决的测试。在现实生活中，玩一个转移注意力的游戏，并掩盖你的踪迹。确保你不会因为无知而被抓个正着。别让别人看到你数学不好 That last part of "covering up" may compound [toxic memories](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Toxic_memories) that lead to _math anxiety_. 「掩盖」的最后一部分可能会加重[毒性记忆](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Toxic_memories)，导致_数学焦虑_。 Contrast this with a toddler who plays Lego bricks, and will keep re-shuffling that wall of bricks until it gets even and provides room for moving to the next level. The little snot will internalize number sense and [coherently](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coherence) and [consistently](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Consistency) integrate it with his world knowledge using his [learn drive](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive) and his [knowledge valuation network](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Knowledge_valuation_network). 与之形成鲜明对比的是，一个会玩乐高积木的幼儿，会不断地重新排列那堵砖墙，直到它变得平整，并为移动到下一层提供空间。他会把数字意识内化，用他的[学习内驱力](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive)和[知识评估网络](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Knowledge_valuation_network)把数字意识[连贯](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Coherence)[一致](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Consistency)地与他的世界知识结合起来。 Outwardly, our abstract adult brain can see the same math problem to solve. Our empathy is too weak to escape the abstraction. On the other hand, for an immature brain, the same powerful [learning mechanisms](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive) can be employed for two entirely different jobs: \(1\) solving a real life math problem, or \(2\) surviving in a classroom. 从表面上看，我们抽象的成人大脑可以看到同样的数学问题需要解决。我们的同理心太弱，逃避不了抽象。另一方面，对于一个不成熟的大脑来说，同样强大的[学习机制](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive)可以用于两种完全不同的工作：\(1\)解决现实生活中的数学问题，或者\(2\)在教室里生存。 > Misemployment of the [learn drive](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive), the genius neural mechanisms developed in the course of evolution, is the key [tragedy of modern mass education](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Problem_of_schooling) > > [学习内驱力](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive)是在进化过程中发展起来的天才神经机制，对其的误用是[现代大众教育](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Problem_of_schooling)悲剧的关键 #### 9.8.7 Meaningless history #### 毫无意义的历史 Do you know history? Did you know that > _... at the request of cesario Pizzorato, Charlatid the Great conquered all of Egypt from the Charlemagne Delgado beginning in 637 BC_? 你知道历史吗？你知道 > …在 cesario Pizzorato 的要求下，从公元前 637 年开始，Charlatid 大帝从 Charlemagne Delgado 大帝的手中征服了整个埃及吗？ If you love history, you will love the story of [futile memories related to Charlatid](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Futility_of_schooling). See also another example in: [Unpleasant learning at school](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Unpleasant_learning_at_school) 如果你热爱历史，你就会爱上与 [Charlatid 有关的无意义记忆](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Futility_of_schooling)的故事。参见另一个例子：[不愉快的在校学习](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Unpleasant_learning_at_school) #### 9.8.8 Trouble with counting #### 计算困难 [20 rules of knowledge formulation](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/20_rules_of_knowledge_formulation) warn that memorizing sets can lead to toxic memory. That warning is applicable to adults, let alone children. Lists are easier, but also hard. At the same time, early schooling programs are peppered with lists to memorize. One of the first elements of early instruction is counting. While counting fingers is strongly mnemonic, going beyond the number 10 enters the realm of abstraction. Forcing kids to go into abstract territory is always dangerous. It is far better to patiently await the point of readiness. This sad story illustrates why: [Videogames are better than teachers](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Videogames_are_better_than_teachers). [知识的 20 条法则](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/20_rules_of_knowledge_formulation)警告说，记忆集合可能会导致毒性记忆。这一警告适用于成年人，更不用说儿童了。列表更容易，但也很难。与此同时，早期的学校教育项目中充斥着需要记忆的列表。早期教学的首要要素之一是计数。虽然数手指很容易记忆，但超过 10 就进入了抽象的领域。强迫孩子进入抽象的领域总是危险的。耐心等待准备的时刻要好得多。这个悲伤的故事说明了原因：[电子游戏比老师好](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Videogames_are_better_than_teachers)。 ### 9.9 Toxic memories in SuperMemo ### SuperMemo 中的毒性记忆 Futile memories are poorly formed and hard to remember even with [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo). Persistent and parasitic memories may be perpetuated by [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo). Toxic memories are most dangerous. They will result in learning displeasure, dislike of [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo), and might be the number one reason for a high dropout rate in [spaced repetition](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Spaced_repetition). 无意义记忆的组织形式很差，即使使用 [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo) 也很难记住。持久记忆和寄生记忆可能会被 [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo) 永久保存。毒性记忆是最危险的。他们会导致学习的不愉快，不喜欢 [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo)，并可能是[间隔重复](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Spaced_repetition)的中途放弃率很高的首要原因。 #### 9.9.1 SuperMemo leeches #### SuperMemo 水蛭 > SuperMemo insert. [What is SuperMemo?](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/What_is_SuperMemo%3F) > > SuperMemo 插入。[SuperMemo 是什么？](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/What_is_SuperMemo%3F) > > Users of SuperMemo may recognize futile, persistent, or parasitic memories as [leeches](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Leech). Nearly all beginners go through a stage when they discover that not all things are memorizable, and that some things can be memorized wrongly. Parasitic memories made this text pretty popular:[20 rules](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/20_rules). > > SuperMemo 的用户可能会把无效记忆、持久记忆或寄生记忆识别为[水蛭](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Leech)。几乎所有的初学者都会经历这样一个阶段：他们发现并非所有的东西都是可记忆的，有些东西可能会记错。寄生记忆使这篇文章很受欢迎：[20 条规则](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/20_rules)。 > > I have a unique insight into the problem of toxic memory. I have seen hundreds of user materials for learning with SuperMemo. Those materials usually contain a small proportion of questions that we call _leeches_. Those are the questions that are particularly hard to answer, mostly due to interference, or lack of meaningful connection with reality. I can see the birth of toxic memories in small incremental steps in the learning process. A little leech of a question can pester student's mind for months or even years. Without a resolute action undertaken, the student can see a question grow into a problem. At some point, the mere sight of the question will result in a jolt of a response: _Oh no! I will never remember that. Skip!_ > > 我对毒性记忆的问题有独特的见解。我已经看到了数百种使用 SuperMemo 学习的用户资料。这些材料通常包含一小部分我们称之为水蛭的问题。这些都是特别难以回答的问题，主要是由于干扰，或与现实缺乏有意义的联系。在学习的过程中，我可以看到毒性记忆的产生是一个渐进的小步骤。一个小问题的水蛭可以纠缠学生的思想几个月甚至几年。如果不采取果断的行动，学生就会把问题变成难题。在某种程度上，仅仅是看到这个问题就会得到令人震惊的回答：_哦，不！我永远也不会记得。跳过！_ > > Toxic memory is one of the two prime reasons that SuperMemo carries a huge dropout rate. The other reason is the psychological impact of the **Outstanding** parameter, i.e. the impression of never being able to get of from the heavy load of the outstanding material review. Both factors are remedied pretty well with [incremental reading](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Incremental_reading). However, this does not help SuperMemo much because incremental reading carries a steep learning curve. This explains why the most effective method of learning has not conquered the world yet. Of the tiny fraction of those who ever get convinced to try, the vast majority is heavily inhibited by the psychological impact of overload and toxic memory. > > 毒性记忆是 SuperMemo 存在巨大中途放弃率的两个主要原因之一。另一个原因是**突出的**参数对心理的影响，即复习突出的材料的沉重负担给人永远无法得到的印象。[渐进阅读](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Incremental_reading)很好地弥补了这两个因素。然而，这对 SuperMemo 并没有太大帮助，因为渐进阅读需要一个陡峭的学习曲线。这就解释了为什么最有效的学习方法还没有征服世界。在那些曾经被说服去尝试的人当中，有一小部分人，绝大多数人都受到超负荷和毒性记忆的心理影响的严重抑制。 > > Unwelcome memories are a norm in SuperMemo. It is never possible to fully predict the actual configuration in which a memory dovetails with student's knowledge. Unwelcome side effects are always possible. Outside SuperMemo, those memory impurities are quickly eliminated by forgetting. In SuperMemo, they require vigilance. With an experienced eye, they can be easily spotted once formed and remedied with [reformulation tricks](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/20_rules). For a less experienced user, a leech elimination system simply counts the number of memory lapses and alerts the user when a given memory has a parasitic nature. Many users take a different route though. Instead of combating parasitic memories with re-formulation, they employ dangerous tools of SuperMemo such as low [forgetting index](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Forgetting_index), lax leech criteria, [cramming](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Cramming), forced review, and more. When leeches keep piling up and the elimination is not prompt and radical, toxic memories can form and discourage further use of SuperMemo. We lost thousands of users to this process. > > 不受欢迎的记忆在 SuperMemo 中是一种常态。要完全预测记忆与学生知识相吻合的实际结构是不可能的。不受欢迎的副作用总是可能发生的。在 SuperMemo 之外，这些记忆杂质会很快被遗忘掉。在 SuperMemo 中，它们需要警惕。对于有经验的用户，这些记忆一旦形成就很容易被发现，并通过[重新规划技巧](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/20_rules)被纠正。对于经验较少的用户，水蛭消除系统只是简单地计算记忆丢失的次数，并在给定记忆具有寄生特性时向用户发出警报。不过，许多用户选择了不同的路线。他们没有通过重新规划来对抗寄生记忆，而是使用了 SuperMemo 的危险工具，比如低[遗忘系数](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Forgetting_index)、宽松的水蛭标准、[死记硬背](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Cramming)、强迫复习等等。当水蛭不断堆积，清除过程不及时、不彻底时，毒性记忆就会形成，并阻碍 SuperMemo 的进一步使用。在这个过程中，我们失去了成千上万的用户。 > > > The difference between a forgotten memory and a toxic memory in SuperMemo is that the first thing you remember about a toxic question is that you do not remember the answer > > > > 在 SuperMemo 中，遗忘记忆和毒性记忆的区别在于，你记住的关于毒性问题的第一件事就是你不记得答案 #### 9.9.2 Inefficiency of SuperMemo #### SuperMemo 的低效 > SuperMemo insert. [What is SuperMemo?](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/What_is_SuperMemo%3F) > > SuperMemo 插入。[SuperMemo 是什么？](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/What_is_SuperMemo%3F) > > Ready-made collection were pretty popular in the 1990s. The problem with collections that are too difficult, or too easy, or not fully relevant, is that they emulate schooling. Like there is a mismatch of interest and readiness between a lecture and a student, it is easy to hit a mismatch between a SuperMemo collection and a student. Cramming material rarely brings good fruit. In case of SuperMemo, it may be doubly dangerous. The student who keeps cramming bad collections with dozen of hard items \([leeches](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Leech)\) will waste a lot of time on struggling with his own emotions and memory. Without fun, toxic memories can form, and the [love of learning](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Pleasure_of_learning) can be undermined. In addition, there is an opportunity cost, the same student, instead of trying to hammer pesky leeches, might be spending the same time on an enjoyable learning. Instead of cramming English vocabulary, he might have fun with some English movie. Naturally, we believe there are still collections worth memorizing. For example, [Advanced English](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Advanced_English) vocabulary is a must-have material for every speaker of English who dreams of native fluency. This is the common core of English that is hard to escape from. Enhancing this collection with snippets from a dictionary, own examples, pictures, or articles from Wikipedia should make it more fun. In other words, "common core" collections still make sense but they are best consumed interwoven into a colorful process of [incremental learning](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Incremental_learning). In other words, the student should not be sentenced to lonely cramming of vocabulary. It should come in as part of a richer context of wide-ranging incremental learning > > 20 世纪 90 年代，做好的记忆库非常流行。记忆库太困难、太容易、或不完全相关的问题在于，它们模仿的是学校教育。就像讲课和学生之间的兴趣和准备不匹配一样，SuperMemo 记忆库和学生之间也很容易出现不匹配。填鸭式学习很少能带来好结果。在 SuperMemo 的情况下，这可能是双重危险的。如果一个学生总是用一打困难的项目（[水蛭](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Leech)）来填塞糟糕的记忆库，他会浪费很多时间在与自己的情感和记忆作斗争上。没有乐趣，毒性记忆就会形成，对[学习的热爱](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Pleasure_of_learning)就会被破坏。此外，还有一个机会成本，就是同一个学生可能会把同样的时间花在愉快的学习上，而不是试图敲打讨厌的水蛭。他可能不会死记硬背英语词汇，而会看一些英语电影。当然，我们相信仍然有值得记忆的记忆库。例如，[高级英语](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Advanced_English)词汇是每一个梦想流利说英语的人的必备品。这是英语的共同核心，是难以逃避的。用字典中的片段、自己的例子、图片或维基百科中的文章来增强这个记忆库应该会使它更有趣。换句话说，「共同核心」记忆库仍然有意义，但它们最好是与丰富多彩的[渐进学习](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Incremental_learning)过程交织在一起。换句话说，学生不应该被判处孤独地死记硬背词汇。它应该作为广泛的渐进学习的更丰富的背景的一部分 #### 9.9.3 Toxic SuperMemo #### 有毒的 SuperMemo > SuperMemo insert. [What is SuperMemo?](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/What_is_SuperMemo%3F) > > SuperMemo 插入。[SuperMemo 是什么？](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/What_is_SuperMemo%3F) > > [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo) is most dangerous when employed with little kids who have not developed long-term memory. In their case, the program becomes a perfect mental torture device. It quickly sends out easy items to long intervals and keeps bombarding the young brain with toughest questions. If there is no coercion involved, early SuperMemo is probably only a waste of time. However, all forms of knowledge-independent bribes and rewards can condition the kid to perceive [spaced repetition](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Spaced_repetition) as highly unpleasant. This can result in producing a SuperMemo dropout before the first voluntary repetition is made. For more see: [SuperMemo does not work for kids](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo_does_not_work_for_kids) > > 当被用于没有形成长期记忆的小孩时，[SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo) 是最危险的。在他们的案例中，这个程序变成了一个完美的精神折磨工具。它能快速地以很长的间隔发送简单的内容，并不断地向年轻的大脑抛出难题。如果不涉及强制，早期的 SuperMemo 可能只是浪费时间。然而，所有形式的独立于知识的贿赂和奖励都能使孩子感到间隔重复是非常不愉快的。这可能导致在第一次自愿重复之前放弃 SuperMemo。了解更多请参见： [SuperMemo 不适用于儿童](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo_does_not_work_for_kids) #### 9.9.4 Toxic memories in language learning #### 语言学习中的毒性记忆 On occasion, an unwelcome memory connection may be established. For example, English words _indigent_ and _indigenous_ can easily be confused due to their similarity. If B is similar to C, at some point, A->C confusion may set in. There is a very simple tool for breaking up all unwelcome memories: forgetting. Unwelcome memory A->C is unlikely to be useful in natural contexts and will remain unused for a while until it dissolves naturally. However, if repeated drilling is enforced, e.g. at school or with [spaced repetition](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Spaced_repetition), the unwelcome memory may become a **parasitic memory**\(i.e. unwelcome memory that would not go away\). This phenomenon is one of the main reasons many users get discouraged in their use of spaced repetition. When used inappropriately, optimum review may optimally set in parasitic memories that can be very hard to eradicate. Programs like [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo) can quickly establish long-term memories than can last month, or years or even a lifetime. If a parasitic memory is established, it can do more damage than just causing confusion via its falsehood. 有时，可能会建立不受欢迎的内存连接。例如，英语单词 _indigent_ 和 _indigenous_ 很容易因为相似而混淆。如果 B 与 C 相似，在某一点上，A->C可能会产生混淆。有一个非常简单的方法可以打破所有不受欢迎的记忆：遗忘。不受欢迎的记忆 A->C 在自然上下文中不太可能有用，并且会在一段时间内不被使用，直到它自然地溶解。然而，如果反复操练，例如在学校或[间隔重复](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Spaced_repetition)，不受欢迎的记忆可能成为**寄生记忆**（即，不会消失的不受欢迎的记忆）。这种现象是许多用户不鼓励使用间隔重复的主要原因之一。当使用不当时，最佳回顾可能最佳地设置在很难根除的寄生记忆中。像 [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo) 这样的程序比上个月、几年甚至一生都能快速建立长期记忆。如果寄生记忆被建立起来，它所造成的伤害将不仅仅是由于它的虚假而引起的混乱。 In the extreme case, parasitic memory can become a **toxic memory**. When a parasitic memory A->C is drilled regularly, it is likely to cause stress to the user via all forms of penalties. There will be one more memory connection established between the stimulus A and the penalty, which may be as trivial as a mild trigger of anxiety. Questions related to A will become punitive in nature. The student will gradually get conditioned to dislike learning. This can be a dislike of a particular portion of the learning material, or the whole domain \(e.g. chemistry\). In the most extreme case, toxic memories can lead to a dislike of learning in general. This happens all the time around the planet as a result of [schooling](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Problem_of_schooling). Toxic memories are one of the prime reasons schooling does not work and [why kids hate school](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Why_kids_hate_school%3F). 在极端情况下，寄生记忆可能成为一种**毒性记忆**。当寄生记忆 A ->C 被定期训练时，它很可能通过各种形式的惩罚给用户造成压力。刺激 A 和惩罚之间还会建立起另一种记忆联系，这种联系可能像轻微的焦虑触发一样微不足道。与A有关的问题在性质上将具有惩罚性。学生将逐渐习惯于不喜欢学习。这可能是不喜欢学习材料的某一部分，或者整个领域（例如化学）。在最极端的情况下，毒性记忆通常会导致不喜欢学习。由于[学校教育](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Problem_of_schooling)的缘故，这种情况在地球上每时每刻都在发生。毒性记忆是学校教育无效的主要原因之一，也是[孩子们讨厌学校](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Why_kids_hate_school%3F)的原因之一。 #### 9.9.5 Toxic memories in Advanced English #### 高级英语中的毒性记忆 > SuperMemo insert. [What is SuperMemo?](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/What_is_SuperMemo%3F) > > SuperMemo 插入。[SuperMemo 是什么？](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/What_is_SuperMemo%3F) > > Advanced English is a flagship SuperMemo collection for memorizing English vocabulary. Over the years we have identified many toxic memory culprits that come from memory interference and pose a toxic memory risks. Here are some frequently confused word pairs where word similarity causes direct memory interference, which is the first step towards toxicity: > > 高级英语是一个旗舰级的 SuperMemo 英语词汇记忆库。多年来，我们已经确定了许多毒性记忆的罪魁祸首，这些罪魁祸首来自于记忆干扰，并构成了毒性记忆的风险。下面是一些经常混淆的单词对，单词相似性会直接干扰记忆，这是产生毒性的第一步： > > * indigent - indigenous > * fictitious - factitious > * daft - deft > * asperity - aspersion > * to decoct - to concoct > * to decry - to descry > * complacence - complaisance > * trapezoid - trapezium > * perspicuous - perspicacious > * an assent - an ascent > > Advanced English deals with those potentially toxic memories by placing both words in the question which becomes a discrimination task targeted at eliminating interference. All those words are also memorized independently along the 20 rules of knowledge formulation > > 高级英语通过把两个单词都放在问题中来处理这些潜在的毒性记忆，这就成为了一项旨在消除干扰的歧视任务。所有这些单词都是根据知识形成的 20 条规则独立记忆的 #### 9.9.6 Toxic memories in incremental reading #### 渐进阅读中的毒性记忆 > SuperMemo insert. [What is SuperMemo?](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/What_is_SuperMemo%3F) > > SuperMemo 插入。[SuperMemo 是什么？](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/What_is_SuperMemo%3F) > > [Incremental reading](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Incremental_reading) is one of great tools for combating parasitic and toxic memories, however, it can add one extra layer of toxicity in the process. Some users, with insufficient training and with a poor incremental reading toolset, will find it hard to tackle certain texts. They may quickly establish a toxic habit in which each time they see a specific article, they utter _"Oh no. Not again"_ or _"Not today"_. If they take no action and just reschedule the article, they develop a toxic memory association. The connection goes from article recognition \(e.g. by title, picture, etc.\) to mental penalty that makes the user dislike the article, and soon dislike the concept of incremental reading itself. Toxic memories related to an article have no contribution to learning and a monumental contribution to the user's perception of his own progress or skills or lack thereof > > [渐进阅读](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Incremental_reading)是对抗寄生记忆和毒性记忆的一种很好的工具，但是，它会在这个过程中增加一层额外的毒性。一些缺乏培训和渐进阅读工具集的用户会发现很难处理某些文本。他们可能很快就养成了一种有害的习惯，每次看到一篇特定的文章，他们就会说「哦不，不要再来」或「今天不要」。如果他们不采取行动，只是重新安排文章的时间，他们就会产生一种毒性记忆联系。这种联系从文章识别（如标题、图片等）到让用户不喜欢文章的心理惩罚，很快就不喜欢渐进阅读本身的概念。与一篇文章相关的毒性记忆对学习没有贡献，对用户对自己的进步、技能或缺乏的认知有巨大贡献