, just as we can describe the details of a painting immediately in front of us with near perfect accuracy.' īy contrast, photographic memory may be defined as the ability to recall pages of text, numbers, or similar, in great detail, without the visualization that comes with eidetic memory. stated, 'People with eidetic memory can supposedly hold a visual image in their mind with such clarity that they can describe it perfectly or almost perfectly. Vividness and stability of the image begin to fade within minutes after the removal of the visual stimulus. Contrary to ordinary mental imagery, eidetic images are externally projected, experienced as 'out there' rather than in the mind. 'Eidetikers', as those who possess this ability are called, report a vivid afterimage that lingers in the visual field with their eyes appearing to scan across the image as it is described. It is not perfect, as it is subject to distortions and additions (like episodic memory), and vocalization interferes with the memory.' Eidetic imagery is the ability to remember an image in so much detail, clarity, and accuracy that it is as though the image were still being perceived.

However, eidetic memory is not limited to visual aspects of memory and includes auditory memories as well as various sensory aspects across a range of stimuli associated with a visual image.' Author Andrew Hudmon commented: 'Examples of people with a photographic-like memory are rare. Scholar Annette Kujawski Taylor stated, 'In eidetic memory, a person has an almost faithful mental image snapshot or photograph of an event in their memory. The terms eidetic memory and photographic memory are commonly used interchangeably, but they are also distinguished. The word eidetic comes from the Greek word εἶδος ( pronounced, eidos) 'visible form'. When the concepts are distinguished, eidetic memory is reported to occur in a small number of children and generally not found in adults, while true photographic memory has never been demonstrated to exist. Īlthough the terms eidetic memory and photographic memory are popularly used interchangeably, they are also distinguished, with eidetic memory referring to the ability to see an object for a few minutes after it is no longer present and photographic memory referring to the ability to recall pages of text or numbers, or similar, in great detail. For Sri Lankan action thriller short film, see EIDETIC (2016 film).Įidetic memory ( / aɪ ˈ d ɛ t ɪ k/ eye- DET-ik more commonly called photographic memory or total recall) is the ability to recall an image from memory with high precision for a brief period after seeing it only once, and without using a mnemonic device. For the 2011 documentary, see Photographic Memory (film). For the video game developer, see Eidetic, Inc.

This article is about the precise recall of memories.

Eidetic memory in children