WHAT IS EIDETIC MEMORY? - PSYCHOLOGY - 2025

The eidetic memory is the ability to remember very vivid images of a stimulus, despite being exposed to it for a very short period of time. The memory is characterized by high precision and great luxury of details, without having used any technique or mnemonic strategies.

It is a type of sensory memory, in which the individual has the ability to retrieve stored information as if it were a photograph that can be observed for a few minutes.

"Eidetic" comes from the Greek word "εἶδος" (or "eidos"), which means "form." The term was established by the German psychologist Erich Rudolf Jaensch in 1929.

On the other hand, the concept of eidetic image refers to the image after perception that stands out for being more vivid and durable than other images. This means that not everything that is perceived will be stored in the eidetic memory, but only some events or images.

People who have the so-called "hypertrophy of eidetic memory" can remember any element they have seen, imagined or heard, even if they have only perceived it once.

This condition does not seem to be hereditary, and it is lost with age if the individual is not aware that he has it and, therefore, does not train it. It is sometimes associated with children diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and autism.

In whom does eidetic memory appear?

Eidetic memory has been shown to appear in a small percentage of children, aged between 6 and 12 years. Instead, it is practically non-existent in adults.

Some researchers have explained this phenomenon of aging, establishing the hypothesis of considering eidetic memory as a form of immature memory. Little by little this way of remembering is being replaced by more abstract representations, as more advanced cognitive abilities are acquired with age.

However, a review study by Haber in 1979 found that eidetic abilities remain very stable throughout the preschool and school period. Furthermore, this type of memory appears to be unrelated to abstract thinking or reading performance.

Does having a good memory mean having an eidetic memory?

What is characteristic of this phenomenon is that it seems that eidetic memory is independent of other types of memory and does not seem to have a proven relationship with other cognitive, emotional or neurological abilities.

Having a good memory is not the same as having eidetic memory skills. The latter type of memory is distinctive in that after you stop seeing the stimulus or situation, the item remains very sharply for a few minutes before fading.

It is distinguished from other types of memory, since this ability is not present when remembering texts, numbers, words, autobiographical events in general, etc.

It is similar to looking at a photograph, which is why it is sometimes called a photographic memory.

Is eidetic memory the same as photographic memory?

Normally these two terms are used interchangeably. However, they can have different meanings.

Eidetic memory implies an almost faithful mental image, as if it were a photograph, of the remembered event. However, according to Kujawski Taylor (2013), not only visual characteristics are stored, but also auditory elements and other varied sensory perceptions that are experienced together.

On the other hand, strictly photographic memory is a very strange phenomenon that is still in doubt about its true existence. It consists of the ability to remember numbers or texts with great detail and precision without the typical visualization that accompanies eidetic memory.

An example of photographic memory would be to look briefly at a book page and then recite it from memory.

According to Hudmon (2009), photographic memory is rare. Explain that reaching the same degree of fidelity as reality is almost impossible for our memory. This occurs because memory depends on subjective aspects, and tends to be altered with distortions and additions. Although it can be more detailed than normal in cases of eidetic memory.

Different authors consider photographic memory as the voluntary retrieval of a memory, being able to examine it in detail, and even "zoom in" on certain parts. This is more a myth than a reality, since no real cases have been found in which this phenomenon occurs.

Is it common to have an eidetic memory?

As mentioned earlier, this type of memory is only found in children. More specifically, between 2 and 10% of children between the ages of 6 and 12.

There are authors such as Hudmon (2009) who argue that children have much more eidetic memory capacity than adults due to changes in development. For example, the acquisition of language skills could reduce the potential of eidetic images.

In fact, research has shown that verbalizing something while viewing an image interferes with the eidetic image formation.

Adults, unlike children, tend to encode images both verbally and visually. For this reason, eidetic images may be interrupted and therefore not experienced like children do.

How do you know if you have this type of memory?

The most common way to check if a person is eidetic is through the “Picture Elicitation Method” which can be translated as “Image Evocation Method”.

The procedure consists of presenting the person with an unfamiliar image that must be explored for about 30 seconds. Afterwards, the image is hidden and the person who, with her gaze still fixed on the screen, is asked to indicate all the details that she has observed in the photo.

Apparently, for people with eidetic memory, it is very easy to describe the photo in great detail since they can continue to see it for a short period of time (from half a minute to several minutes). For them, it is as if the image is still physically present and they can report extraordinary details about it.

It differs from other visual images in that it does not disappear despite the movement of the eyes (such as after looking at a camera flash), nor do the colors change.

So they can answer questions about the exact color of a highly hidden item in the image. However, this memory is not absolutely perfect, although it is considered much more intense than that of non-eidetic people.

Another aspect that characterizes it is that once it fades, it cannot recover as at the beginning.

On the internet you can find many online tests to evaluate your eidetic and visual memory capacity, although keep in mind that their reliability can be very limited.

The eidetic memory debate: what is its magnitude?

Throughout history, many have been skeptical about the existence of eidetic memory.

The case of Elizabeth Stromeyer

It all started when in 1970 Charles Stromeyer decided to study his future wife, Elizabeth. She claimed to be able to remember poetry written in a language she did not know even years after she had seen that poem for the first time.

It also seemed like it was capable of remembering random dot patterns with great precision. At present, it remains the only documented case that has successfully performed such a test. However, many doubt the veracity of this phenomenon and criticize the possible procedures used.

Marvin Minsky

A scientific skeptic named Brian Dunning in 2016 examined the existing literature on eidetic and photographic memory. It concluded that there is a lack of convincing evidence for the existence of eidetic memory in healthy adults. Like photographic memory, it does not present clear evidence.

However, more than a question of existence or non-existence, what determines that a memory is exceptional is its degree or extension.

Therefore, eidetic memory could be a greater accentuation of memories. Although within normal limits. That is, the exact details of the things we memorize are not retrieved, but memories are rebuilt guided by expectations.

In fact, the brain constantly distorts the past, and modifies memories with each retrieval of them. For this reason, eidetic memory is very detailed, but not as detailed as one might think.

More research is needed to further specify the concept, extent, and qualities of eidetic memory; and thus resolve the existing debate.

Eidetic memory training

It is widely known that memory, in its various types, can be trained and enhanced. Conceptually, eidetic memory in theory should not be supported by mnemonic processes, or cognitive strategies, or be the result of hard daily training.

In theory, it is typical of children and it is thought that, if you are not born with it, it is impossible to develop it.

However, perhaps the ability to remember images can be trained, without having to desire to reach the level of an eidetic individual. By spending time each day and increasing the complexity of the exercises, you can enhance this skill.

In this article you will see specific exercises to start training your visual memory.

References

1. Andrew Hudmon (2009). Learning and Memory. p. 52. New York: Infobase Publishing.
2. Annette Kujawski Taylor (2013). Encyclopedia of Human Memory. California: Greenwood Press.
3. Does Photographic Memory Exist? (sf). Retrieved on November 14, 2016, from Scientific American.
4. Eidetic Memory. (sf). Retrieved on November 14, 2016, from Wikipedia.
5. Haber, RN (1979). Twenty years of haunting eidetic imagery: where's the ghost? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2 (4), pp. 583-629.
6. Paivio, A., & Cohen, M. (1977). Eidetic Imagery and Figural Abilities in Children.
7. Rivas, A. (February 10, 2015). Photographic Memory Test: Are You Able To Remember Everything You've Seen In Vivid Detail? Obtained from Medical Daily.
8. Searleman, A. (nd). Is there such a thing as a photographic memory? And if so, can it be learned? Retrieved on November 14, 2016, from Scientificamerican.