Can i have eidetic memory

It can go by other names such as a photographic memory or an enhanced memory, but scientists and eidetic memory holders alike find it hard to come up with one rule to suit all.

Essentially, an eidetic memory is a mind which can recall large bits of information in a very short space of time. An eidetic memory can consist of incredible memory skills for numbers, words, and visuals, but often it is noted that a person with a eidetic memory in one area does not have exceptional memory in other areas.

In fact, sketching out entire skylines from memory is exactly what artist Stephen Wiltshire does for a living. The British artist has commissions all over the world for drawing cities after short helicopter rides, and then re-creating the cityscape from memory in incredible detail. Even going so far as to remember the exact number of windows on skyscrapers. Alan Searleman, co-author of Memory from a Broader Perspective explains the difference between an eidetic memory and other types of memory paths.

An eidetic memory is one in which a person can see a picture, and recall in great detail the picture once it has been removed as if it was still there. Very often, these people will speak of the picture in the present tense, and can zoom in and out of the picture if need be to recall intricate details. But the eidetic memory is distinctly different to other forms of memory recall, for example afterimages. Afterimages is a memory skill where individuals can remember details of a picture after it has been removed.

But only if they are looking at the same spot and not moving their eyes around, otherwise the detail is lost. Searleman also draws attention to the difference in children, highlighting that many young children are able to have eidetic memory like features.

But what if we could remember every single detail of every single day? Although an eidetic memory has never been proven to be perfect for all areas of memory, being able to remember every small detail would it make it pretty difficult to get on with our lives. The term comes from the Greek word eidos which means "seen" and refers to the extraordinarily vivid recall of visual scenes.

There are two conflicting myths about having an eidetic memory which throws the concept into controversy Myth 1 - The term photographic memory is a misnomer. It implies that, once captured, the memory remains perfectly intact and can't possibly be faulted because it is so immaculately ingrained in the first place. In truth, an eidetic memory is subject to the same factors as regular memory: how long they looked at the stimulus, how many repeat exposures they had, and whether they gave it much conscious attention.

The technical definition of an eidetic memory is to have such a vivid impression of an event that the eideticker can still see the scene in their mind's eye after it has disappeared from view.

However since the stimulus is not literally there, and depending on all those observational factors, it can't really be said to be a literal photographic impression. Myth 2 - Just because someone has a very impressive memory, it doesn't mean they have an eidetic memory. Often the term is overused. In many cases, so-called eidetickers are just really good at learning, concentration, and connecting seemingly unconnected information - perhaps through the cognitive cross-wiring phenomenon of synaesthesia.

Part of HuffPost Tech. All rights reserved. However, before we proceed any further there are a few things we should keep in mind. Look at the second image for 10 seconds: Advertisement. Part two of the memory test. What letter do you see? Remember to take our eidetic memory test to know which type of memory you are more skilled. This tutorial will work for any kind of person however if your strength is not on the visual memory part it will take you a little bit longer to acquire this skill.

You need to schedule 20 minutes for your training every day for an entire month. Find the darkest room possible where you can train. Cover all the sources of light in the room, the darker the room the better the results. Open your book in any page.