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Developed in the 1960's (Buzan & Buzan, 2010), Mind Mapping is a multi-
purpose tool for note-taking in meetings and classes, analyzing study
materials for better retention and comprehension, brainstorming ideas for
event planning, problem-solving, decision-making, presentations, writing,
research, and development.
Mind mapping, like any other skill, requires practice for proficient
use. Buzan and Buzan (2010) recommend that you initially brainstorm for
20 minutes, allowing your mind to flow as fast as possible, then take a short
break. The break allows your mind to rest and incubate on the generated
ideas and images. After the break, look at the map to identify useful ideas
and integrate them. You can also look for hierarchies or categories within
the map. Take a longer second break before embarking on another mind
map from the existing one.
Buzan and Buzan (2010) observed that a mind map resembles the brain's
neuronal structure with infinite connections. The brain is a big "associative
machinery" (p. 37) and Mind Mapping "mimics thought processes" (p. 12)
by naturally calling to mind associations to recorded words and images on
the map as you progress through the task. They observe that the brain—
unlike a sequential processing computer—uses multilateral thinking, going
in many directions at once in a holistic manner, using both sides of the
brain. This they label "radiant thinking."
Is Mind Mapping an "'ultimate thinking tool'" as its authors claim (Buzan &
Buzan, 2010, p. xv)? A brief review of studies suggests that mind mapping
produces comparable or superior results to traditional note-taking
strategies. After adjusting for baseline and motivational differences,
Ferrand, Hussain, and Hennessey (2002) found that medical students
assigned to a Mind Mapping group showed superior recall one week
following the study of a passage, compared to students assigned to a self-
selected study group. Interestingly, self-reported motivation was lower in the
Mind Mapping group.
References
Abdolahi, M., Javadnia, F., Bayat, P-D., Ghorbani, R., Ghanbari, A., &
Ghodoosi, B. (2011). Mind map teaching of gross anatomy is sex
dependent. International Journal of Morphology, 29, 41-44.
Buzan, T., & Buzan, B. (2010). The Mind Map Book. Unlock your creativity,
boost your memory, change your life. Harlow, England: Pearson.
D'Antoni, A. V., Zipp, G. P., Olson, V. G., and Cahill, T. F. (2010). Does the
mind map learning strategy facilitate information retrieval and critical
thinking in medical students? BMC Medical Education, published online
2010 September 16. doi: 10.1186/1472-6920-10-61.
Farrand, P., Hussain, F., & Hennessey, E. (2002). The efficacy of the ‘mind
map' study technique. Medical Education, 36, 426-431.
Hey, J. G., Joyce, C. K., Jennings, K. E., Kalil, T., & Grossman, J. C.
(2009). Putting the discipline in interdisciplinary,: Using speedsorming to
teach and initiate creative collaboration in nanoscience. Journal of Nano
Education, 1, 75-85.
You can use it while studying or you can incorporate it into your professional career.
In general, mind mapping is a good alternative way of accumulating knowledge
regardless of the area you use it in.
A mind map is basically a visual aid. It is a visual representation of all the relevant
information you need to adopt centered around the main idea. What is great about
mind maps is that they focus on the visual representation of information you need to
learn and since it is you who is making the map, you can put color schemes, letters,
and symbols that already associate your brain with something so the learning will be
even faster.
There are plenty of authors involved in mind map research so let’s take a look at
some of their respective research in the area of mind mapping psychology.
Tony Buzan, in his work, claims that the brain’s natural preference in receiving and
adopting new information is a nonlinear graphical form compared to the traditional
and established forms like reading where the information is acquired from left to
right (or right to left) and top to bottom.
Just think how you certainly know someone who always remembers a face but has
troubles with names. Images fire up our brains and engage them in a fuller capacity
in comparison with simple text. Just think how you can see an image and have an
instant reaction to it. An image can be powerful enough that it will stay with you
forever from the first time you see it, while in most cases you have to read your
favorite paragraph several times until you memorize it.
He showed that the part of the brain which was the latest to evolve “the thinking cap”
is (as well as the brain itself) divided into two hemispheres that perform complex
tasks which are called cortical skills.
These skills include logic, daydreaming, imagination, color recognition, and several
others. It is proven that while you use a Mind Map more of these functions will
cooperate and will be in sync, creating lasting information and impression in your
brain.
Conclusion
There is definitely more than enough evidence to get you to start using mind maps. If
nothing, they are a more fun way to take notes. But as it was shown in this article,
there are plenty of reasons for implementing Mind Mapping as your go-to technique
when learning something new.
Visual stimulants of different colors and symbols combined with connections you
made will engage your brain much more effectively than traditional methods.
Une mind map est une méthode pratique et rapide de rassembler vos
idées au fur et à mesure qu'elles vous viennent à l'esprit, sans vous
soucier de leur ordre initial, puis de les structurer visuellement pour
faciliter leur analyse et leur mémorisation.
Une mind map peut donc être considérée comme une représentation
visuelle non-linéaire permettant d'ordonner de manière intuitive des
idées, des tâches, des mots ou des concepts interconnectés autour
d’un sujet central. Une mind map est capable de transformer une
longue liste rébarbative en une image graphique vivante et attrayante,
bien organisée et facilement mémorisable, en accord étroit avec la
manière dont le cerveau traite les informations.
2. Les thèmes principaux sont disposés autour de l'image centrale sous forme de
"branches".
En outre, les travaux de Roger Sperry ont montré que plus ces activités
corticales sont intégrées, plus le cerveau gagne en efficacité. Ainsi, non
seulement la technique du mind mapping met en œuvre les capacités
fondamentales du cerveau à traiter et à mémoriser l'information, mais
elle exploite les fonctions des deux hémisphères, ce qui a pour effet de
rehausser la clarté et l'organisation de votre pensée.
Tony Buzan s'appuie aussi sur des hypothèses courantes sur le rôle des
hémisphères cérébraux pour prôner l'utilisation exclusive du mind
mapping par rapport à toute autre forme de capture de données. Tony
Buzan est le détenteur de plusieurs marques commerciales sur les
termes mind map et mind mapping.