Visualization as a Learning Tool - Dr. Huberman has some science-based tips
Visualization as a Learning Tool - Dr. Huberman’s Pod offers some science-based tips
Visualization works best in tiny bites, in concert with ‘reality’ experience
On my science crush, Dr. Andrew Huberman’s recent Pod, Science-Based Mental Training & Visualization for Improved Learning, he reviews the data on how visualization can enhance learning, especially learning new movement patterns.
Awareness Through Movement lessons often include the directions “imagine this movement; do it as if you could do it perfectly.” For some of us, this is easy, for some quite difficult. Does this really hasten learning? Was Moshe once again ahead of the science when he integrated imagination into so many lessons?
Science says… yes! Visualization can be a powerful learning enhancer, especially when learning new movement patterns - and unlearning the habits that we may want to replace.
It’s a typical Huberman Lab pod, over two hours. So here are a few highlights:
Visualization as a learning tool works best if you have some familiarity with the subject
Short, simple sequences are optimal as learning tools - 15 seconds of a simple visualization repeated many times (he suggests 50 repetitions) work best
You can’t visualize your way to proficiency - you have to move the movements!
Visualization PLUS Movement is very effective
Name or put words to your visualization to ground the visualization in experience and add to ongoing learning
Sleeping the night of a learning session greatly improves ‘stickiness’
Open-eyed visualization, rather than closed-eyed, is actually more effective (science says!)
Visualization can help the ‘unlearning’ of habits we want to replace by helping inhibition (depression) of habitual movement signals
Visualization of a cleanly-learned motor skill can help boost speed and efficiency
Confession - I’ve listened to this pod at least 4 times, and am still absorbing the content. What I do take away is that in super small doses, with awareness and open eyes, visualization can be an effective tool in boosting learning speed and retention.