Eidetic memory

Photographic memory, eidetic memory, or total recall, is the ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory with great accuracy and in seemingly unlimited volume.

Related Topics:
Image - Sounds - Object - Memory

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It is said that many famous artists and composers, like Claude Monet and Mozart, possibly had eidetic memory. However, Dr. Marvin Minsky, in his book The Society of Mind, claims to have been unable to verify claims of eidetic memory (see sections 15.3 & 15.6) and considers reports of eidetic memory to be an "unfounded myth".

Related Topics:
Artists - Composers - Claude Monet - Mozart - Marvin Minsky - The Society of Mind

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Support for the belief that eidetic memory could be a myth was supplied by the psychologist Adriaan de Groot, who conducted an experiment into the ability of chess Grandmasters to memorise complex positions of chess pieces on a chess board. Initially it was found that these experts could recall surprising amounts of information, far more than non-experts, suggesting eidetic skills. However, when the experts were presented with arrangements of chess pieces that could never occur in an actual game, their recall was no better than the non-experts, implying that they had developed an ability to organise certain types of information, rather than possessing innate eidetic ability.

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The Guinness Book of Records nevertheless lists people with extraordinary memories. For example, on July 2 2005, Akira Haraguchi, managed to recite Pi's first 83,431 decimal places from memory, and on November 3, 1994, Tom Groves memorized the order of cards in a randomly shuffled 52-card deck in 42.01 seconds.

Related Topics:
Guinness Book of Records - July 2 - 2005 - Akira Haraguchi - November 3 - 1994 - Tom Groves

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Mathematician John von Neumann is said to have had total recall. The late Stu Ungar, one of the world's most successful poker and gin rummy players, had a similar (and profitable) gift, as did chess genius Bobby Fischer.

Related Topics:
Mathematician - John von Neumann - Stu Ungar - Poker - Gin rummy - Bobby Fischer

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There have been some cases where young children have demonstrated the ability to focus on a picture and then recall it with perfect clarity minutes later. However, these skills are usually lost as they grow older.

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Many believe that some autistics display this ability, as well as those with similar conditions like Asperger's syndrome.

Related Topics:
Autistic - Asperger's syndrome

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Autistic savants are a rarity but they, in particular, show signs of spectacular memory; one notable example is Kim Peek, who can recall about 9600 books from memory.

Related Topics:
Autistic savant - Kim Peek

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