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People With a “Photographic Memory” Elizabeth Stromeyer Most adults who have been labeled as having an eidetic memory also use mnemonics and other devices alongside their enhanced natural abilities to remember imagery. Up to 15% of children have an eidetic memory, and this number shrinks when talking about adults. When it comes to eidetic memory, there is one group of people that can reasonably claim to have it.
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Is Photographic or Eidetic Memory Something You Are Born With? There are people who have entered the World Memory Championships claiming to have eidetic or photographic memory…but none of those contestants have ever taken home the prize.
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None of the winners have ever claimed to have photographic or eidetic memory. Every year since 1993, there is an event called the World Memory Championships. Sounds cool, right? It almost sounds too cool to be true. They can read a page of the dictionary, word by word, without any error. At a moment’s notice, a person with photographic memory can recall the image with perfect accuracy.
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Photographic memory, however, the ability to see an image or a page of text and automatically store it into short-term or long-term memory with great detail. This ability only lasts for a few seconds, before the brain decides to send the image to short-term memory storage or disregard it. This image “stays” in a person’s memory without the help of mnemonic devices or other tools to help recall details or the arrangement of items in the image. What most people associate with photographic memory is often eidetic memory.Įidetic memory is the ability to see an image for only a few seconds after it’s removal and be able to recall the image and its details vividly. Photographic MemoryĮidetic memory and photographic memory are often considered to be interchangeable terms, but they describe two different abilities. While there are tales of people who have photographic memory, or perfect long-term memory, they haven’t been scientifically tested in a way that proves their abilities. This is the big question, isn’t it? The short answer is no, photographic memory is not real. (Many X-Files fans claim that Fox Mulder has a photographic memory.)īut this astounding ability seems so out of reach – because as far as the science goes, it is out of reach. For example, someone may be able to continue to “see” a picture they have been shown for 30 seconds, even a few minutes after the picture is removed.Are photographic memories real? People commonly believe photographic memory to be an ability to look at whatever is in front of them, close their eyes, and immediately recall every detail. Eidetic memory is the ability to vividly recall an image you are exposed to, but only briefly. The idea of an eidetic memory is similar to that of a photographic memory, but the two are not exactly the same. Results from one study suggest that people with HSAM are no better at acquiring memories – they are not superior learners – but are simply better at retaining memories. Doctors have yet to understand what exactly is happening in the brains of individuals with HSAM, and tests reveal there is no particular ability that appears to underpin the condition. Their memories are exceptional, but certainly not as perfect as actual photographs. For example, they may be able to tell you what they ate for lunch on (and that it was a Saturday). People with HSAM can recall past events in great detail, along with the exact dates when they occurred. Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) is a condition that has been identified in fewer than 100 people worldwide. And some people do have better visual memory than others. Generally, we’re better at remembering what we’ve seen than what we’ve heard. Although many people claim that they have it, we still don’t have proof that it actually exists. Photographic memory is the ability to recall a past scene in detail with great accuracy – just like a photograph.