Many envy their colleagues or classmates who have a good memory because it becomes easier for them to solve many problems, and they are often more successful. If you dream of having a photographic memory, it is worth saying that this is often an innate gift, which is extremely difficult to develop on your own, but you can get close to it.
How Can This Be Characterized?
Many people would like to have some superpower or possess unusual abilities, so it is often thought that their ability to remember a picture from a couple of minutes that they saw a second ago is something fantastic. After looking for information about this, they understand they are the owners of photographic memory. But in fact, there were only a few people in the world who possibly had such abilities.
In 1970, a scientist experimented on a Harvard student who claimed to have a photographic memory. You can find out more details by reading the article. But in short, the scientist tested her abilities using stereograms with different image resolutions and a change in the time of perception. The girl remembered the picture with one eye, and after a long time, she was shown an addition with which she could see and recognize the complete picture by comparing different frames of her memories. Unfortunately, the study was not conducted to the end and did not acquire an official conclusion.
In addition, the following famous personalities had an impeccable memory:
- Nikola Tesla;
- Theodore Roosevelt;
- Sergei Rachmaninov;
- Julius Caesar and many others.
Therefore, if you can hold a frame you saw once in a long time without peeping, you should pass a professional test and become a pioneer. If you can save a picture for a few minutes and remember the details, you have an eidetic memory. Let’s analyze their main differences.
Photographic VS Eidetic Memory
Consider two different types of memory and how they differ from each other. Essentially, they are very similar and have one goal: to remember a detailed image for a certain period. But why are they different things?
Eidetic memory is limited to remembering for a short time, ranging from a second to just a few minutes. You can check if you have such an opportunity and how good it is. Look at the object and memorize all its details, color, shape, etc., then close your eyes and count how long the picture will still be clear and detailed. Depending on the time, and hard labor, you will see everything clearly; your level of eidetic memory will rely on it.
As for photographic memory, its detail can linger in the head for a longer time, like several months. It was believed that this type of memory was in such famous personalities as Nikola Tesla, Charles Darwin, and Teddy Roosevelt due to their high level of intelligence, but no detailed studies confirm this.
Is It Possible To Improve?
Of course, each person has a memory level, but they can develop it with the help of different exercises and tasks. It is much easier for children because their memory ability is much greater than that of adults. But do not be upset; with the right course, you will be able to remember things much better. Photographic memory is still an unsaid concept, and eidetic memory is a possible variant of memory that few people have since the ability to remember details at some point in life is already a rare phenomenon.
If you want to develop your memory, you should constantly train. If you devote only half an hour a day, you will notice the result quite quickly:
- read more and try to visualize what you read;
- walk around beautiful places and try to imagine them before going to bed;
- solve logical problems (practice shows that good logic improves memory);
- learn poems by heart, and much more.
You can also use the memoryOS mobile app to improve your memory health. It was created using the methodology of two-time memorization champion Jonas von Essen. It has many interactive elements and 3D models, which makes learning more accessible and more fun.