Features of Eidetic Memory: How are eidetic memory tests different from photographic memory tests?

Today, more and more people are beginning to study the phenomenon of human memory. You may have noticed that people with better memories are more successful in their careers and personal lives. Thousands of scientists worldwide are wondering why someone can remember images in the smallest detail while others, on the contrary, forget them immediately after viewing them. Today we would like to make an eidetic memory definition and discuss how it differs from photographic memory. We also want to discuss how to take the test at home.

What Is Eidetic Memory?

As you know, there are several types of memory. Eidetic memory definition says that it is a kind of short-term visual memory. The point is that some people can reproduce the image they just saw in front of them in good detail.

A study by Ralph Norman Haber showed that about 8% of all children have an eidetic memory. The scientist conducted tests with children in different age ranges. In the beginning, he led the children to a simple image, for example, a red triangle, and then asked them to show exactly where it was located on a blank sheet of paper. Then, he led a more complex image and let the children look at it for 30 seconds. Then he removed the picture and asked them to remember it, reproduce it in their creation, and talk about what they saw, asking leading questions.

The eidetic memory test shows that a child’s brain processes the image they just saw and reproduces it in its way. Thus, when the researcher asked them to redraw the picture the children had just seen from memory, they often received modified photos like they were accustomed to drawing. Each child can reproduce the image in their mind for a different time – the longest time was 4 minutes.

What Is Photographic Memory?

A large number of myths and legends surround photographic memory. Some people do not believe in this existence, while history knows several personalities, such as Sergei Rachmaninoff or Theodore Roosevelt, who had an excellent memory.

Photographic memory refers to long-term memory and assumes that a person can reproduce an image in his creation with photographic accuracy even after a few years. For example, it was enough for Sergei Rachmaninoff to see the musical text once so that he could play it from memory.

The Main Differences Between These Types Of Memory

Eidetic and photographic memory are similar – the ability to reproduce the image you saw in your mind. However, these 2 types of memory have some significant differences. Eidetic memory refers to short-term memory and suggests that the human brain processes images and reproduces them in a new manner. At the same time, photographic memory means you can produce an image with fantastic fidelity.

Everything You Need To Know About Eidetic Tests

When you see an eidetic memory test on the Internet indicating that only 1% of people on the planet can pass it, most likely, the author just wanted to amuse your pride. If you read the reviews, you will understand that more than 90% of people passed this text successfully. But this does not mean that such a massive number of people have an eidetic memory.

Today there are a large number of scientists who are working on this issue and creating good tests; among the most authoritative are:

• Text by Kent Hammerman and Cynthia Gray – based on a random grid of white and black squares;
• Text by John O. Merritt of Harvard University – based on random dots.

Each of these tests you can take at home. Also, you can take the same test that Ralph Norman Haber suggested. It usually only takes a few minutes.

Is It Possible To Develop An Eidetic Memory?

You can develop this ability if the eidetic memory test results are unsatisfactory. Today, several techniques help to do this, but the easiest is using the memoryOS mobile application. It was developed based on the methodology the two-time memorization champion Jonas von Essen created and showed excellent results.