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Spaced Repetition vs. Spaced Retrieval

Timing Your Memory Like a Swing​

Have you ever been on a swing? If you want to soar higher and higher, you don’t just throw your legs out any old time. You have to stretch and tuck your legs at just the right moment—right as you pass through the lowest point of the swing’s arc. If you stretch your legs too early or too late, you won’t gain extra height. Your memory works in a similar way.

  • The first time you memorize something, it’s like a first push on the swing—it gets you moving, but only a little.
  • Soon after, you need a second push, or repetition, to go higher.
  • Each push after that—each review or quiz—needs to come at just the right moment to strengthen your memory and extend the time before you need to review again.

But unlike a swing, you don’t instinctively know when the perfect moment is to give your memory that push.

Spaced Repetition: Someone Else Giving You a Push​

Spaced repetition is like someone else timing their push for you—showing you information again at intervals designed to keep your memory swinging higher. It’s a proven method to counteract forgetting by reviewing content right before it fades. It is like someone shouting "Stretch your legs right now!" when your swing is at the right place.

Spaced Retrieval: You Pushing Yourself Higher​

Spaced retrieval is when you actively pull the answer from your own memory—when you have to dig deep and retrieve it yourself rather than just being shown it again. This is like pushing yourself on the swing by timing your leg stretches perfectly. When you pull answers from memory—like answering quiz questions—you’re exercising your brain’s recall muscles, making the memory far stronger and more durable. It’s like finding a nugget deep at the bottom of a gold mine—the discovery itself makes it unforgettable.

How The Hundred Uses This Swing Analogy​

The Hundred’s AI keeps track of how your memory “swings.” It watches when you’re likely to forget and presents quiz questions at exactly the right moment—right when your mind is at the lowest point of its arc and ready for a push. Each time you answer a question, you’re giving yourself a push that sends your memory soaring higher and keeps that knowledge accessible for longer. Over time, these well-timed pushes mean you can remember more and forget less, without extra effort or endless review.

“The Hundred doesn’t just help you remember. It teaches your mind to swing higher on its own.”