It sounds like your brain is enduring what’s called the source-monitoring error. This is quite common among most people; stress, anxiety, information overload among other causes.
I’d suggest two (2) things. First, put a good amount of cards (at least six (6) - seven (7)) between these two (2) birthdays (or whatever they’re standing in for as examples). This reduces the chances of your brain grouping them together, and then encoding the memory incorrectly. Second, there’s been some work done on LessWrong regarding reconsolidation, you might be able to find some interesting help there in ‘resetting’ your mind when it comes to their two (2) birthdays.
If it really is as simple as birthdays though, I’d suggest just practicing the cards at different intervals instead of at the same time a week later. Your brain is associating the time of revision with these numbers, instead of associating July 5 with Friend B and June 5 with Friend A because you’ve told it this: ‘Agh, it’s these damn similar birthdays again, I have to remember it this time!’
If it’s more complicated than that, and simple isn’t better, use the first two (2) methods I outlined.
It sounds like your brain is enduring what’s called the source-monitoring error. This is quite common among most people; stress, anxiety, information overload among other causes.
I’d suggest two (2) things. First, put a good amount of cards (at least six (6) - seven (7)) between these two (2) birthdays (or whatever they’re standing in for as examples). This reduces the chances of your brain grouping them together, and then encoding the memory incorrectly. Second, there’s been some work done on LessWrong regarding reconsolidation, you might be able to find some interesting help there in ‘resetting’ your mind when it comes to their two (2) birthdays.
If it really is as simple as birthdays though, I’d suggest just practicing the cards at different intervals instead of at the same time a week later. Your brain is associating the time of revision with these numbers, instead of associating July 5 with Friend B and June 5 with Friend A because you’ve told it this: ‘Agh, it’s these damn similar birthdays again, I have to remember it this time!’
If it’s more complicated than that, and simple isn’t better, use the first two (2) methods I outlined.
Hope this helps.