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So such a person can take a look at a large mathematical formula and later on reproduce it in every detail, without the sligthest understanding of what this formula means. for example children's games like "Memory" do just that).Ī person with such a trait can consciously and subconsciously memorize large amounts of data without comprehension of the contained knowledge. The majority however loses that trait over the years (it can still be trained however to a limited extend. To a certain extend everyone possses an eidetic memory at birth and through early childhood. So, eidetic memory is more detailed than photographic memory.Photographic (or better eidetic) memory is just that: Plain data without comprehension. For example, people having photographic memory can remember faces, places or phone numbers. Whereas photographic memory is when a person can remember things in a more generalized manner. For example, people having eidetic memory can remember specific color, shape or numbers. ConclusionĮidetic memory is when a person can remember things in a very detailed and specific manner. The knock on photographic memory is that it is never actually used for remembering things, but it turns out our brains are very visual. But how? Thanks to a study conducted by MIT researchers, we now know how a human memory works, and it turns out to be a very visual process. It is said that everyone has a photographic memory. Individuals with eidetic memory are able to perform feats of memory such as reproducing lists of unrelated words backwards, by reading words in alphabetical order, or recalling lists of faces How Photogenic Memory Works How Eidetic Memory WorksĮidetic memory, sometimes called photographic memory, is a type of “high-level” or “exceptional” memory that, unlike ordinary “low-level” or “working” memory, allows individuals to permanently retain information, such as spoken or written words, images, or sequences of numbers, without requiring mnemonic aid. Still others encourage skepticism, claiming that only some people have truly photographic memories, while the rest of us are just imagining it. Others say that we’re simply forgetting things more and more as our brains advance. Some claim that our brains have evolved over time to need visual memories in order to function. The Debate About Photographic MemoryĮver wish you could remember every fact or word someone told you? That you’re permanently equipped with a photographic memory? Well, there are several explanations as to why that might not actually be the case. Some memories are photographic, meaning they stand out in our memory like a photograph, but for many, most of the memories we have are not photographic. We also remember events that happened in our past, like what we did last summer, where we went on vacation, or even where we were 3 months ago. We remember where someone lives, what someone looks like, what they drive, what their favorite color is, or what their habits are. We all remember certain things about people, places or things more than others. And besides, most people’s memories do not taper off as they get older. Most kids dream of having photographic memories, but did you know that most people do not have one? Some people say they can remember everything at a very young age, but research has shown this is uncommon. The condition is rare because most of us do not retain the images we see in detail, but some people have it, such as your great aunt Mildred, who couldn’t remember her name after eating some ice cream.
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What is Eidetic MemoryĮidetic memory, also known as photographic memory or mind reading, is the ability to vividly recall something after you have seen it just once.
#PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY VS EIDETIC SERIES#
Unlike a photographic memory, which enables you to recall even the smallest of data, eidetic memories are exact memories of an event or a series of related events. Eidetic memory is an extremely rare phenomenon where people recall very detailed and vivid memories.
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