Key Takeaways
- Eidetic memory is rare and usually found in children, not adults.
- People with eidetic memory can recall images with great detail but only for a short time.
- There is no scientific evidence that supports the existence of photographic memory in adults.
The ability to recall memories can differ from one person to another. Two people who witnessed the same event can have totally different memories of it. But what if one of the people allegedly has an eidetic memory and can accurately remember exactly what happened in complete detail? Do these people actually exist?
Eidetic memory, often (inaccurately) referred to as a photograph memory, Dr. Kimberly Johnson-Hatchett, MD, board-certified neurologist, public speaker, and author of Retrospective Calling explains that eidetic memory is a rare form of memory usually seen in children where they are exposed to an image for 30 seconds or less and are able to recall this object in great detail, but only for a brief period of time.
Someone with a photographic memory is said to be able to recall images after a long time. It’s permanently stored in their minds without any changes to details similar to a camera taking a photo. Some people claim to have a photographic memory but there is no conclusive evidence that shows it actually exists.
Eidetic memory is similar to photographic memory but the recall lasts much shorter.
The Science Behind Eidetic Memory
It’s not really understood how eidetic memory works. However, it might have to do with synesthesia which is the neurological condition where a person can experience one sense through another. For instance, a person may see colors when they hear certain sounds.
An exploratory study looked at the association between eidetic memory and synesthesia. Multiple tests that assessed eidetic imagery, color-hearing and color-mood synesthesia were performed on ten participants with possible eidetic memory and/or synesthetic ability. The results showed a significant correlation between synesthesia and eidetic memory, however, more research is needed.
Eidetic Memory vs. Regular Memory
Imagine you are shown a photo of a downtown scene. Once the photo is taken away, you are asked to talk about what was in the image. Most of us can recall some level detail including colors, shapes, prominent objects, and people in the image. This is your short-term memory working. These are memories you are currently thinking about and paying attention to. You can typically remember short-term memories for about 20 to 30 seconds.
However, someone with eidetic memory has a much greater capacity. In the same exercise, they can remember accurate details including how many windows in the buildings, license plate numbers, street names, types and number of people, and exactly they were wearing down to the number of buttons.
Detective shows love to make use of protagonists with this kind of perfect recall.
Is Eidetic Memory Real?
Eidetic memory is mostly seen among children and very rarely among adults. Dr. Maya Shetreat, MD, pediatric neurologist, herbalist and author of The Dirt Cure explained that the phenomenon is found far less commonly as we age, likely because adults rely heavily on language and less on visual-spatial memory skills.
One study looked for evidence for the uniqueness of this type of memory in schoolchildren and showed that eidetic imagery did not correlate with superior intellect. Students were classified as eidetic using self-report criteria including objective and subjective measures. The results showed the eidetic subjects performed better on an ‘accuracy of report’ test and a superimposition task; however, the differences weren’t great enough to support evidence for the uniqueness of eidetic imagery.
Additional tests were performed to look at the effect of stimulus manipulations on visual retention. The results showed a lack of significant differences in capacity for visual memory between eidetic subjects and a control group. It concluded that the storage capacity is not a factor in the difference between eidetic imagery and visual memory.
Examples of People Said to Have Eidetic Memory
Although there has not been any proof that eidetic memory exists in adults, there are prominent people who have claimed to possess this ability. Some of these include the following:
- Nikola Tesla, Serbina-American inventor
- Sergei Rachmaninoff, Russian composer
- C. S. Lewis, author and literary scholar
- Leonardo da Vinci, Italian polymath
- Theodore Roosevelt, 26th US President
- Guillermo Del Toro, filmmaker
Techniques to Improve Memory Recall
Whether or not you have eidetic memory—or even a good memory—your memory can be trained just like a muscle. Here are some ways to strengthen and condition your memory recall:
Improve Your Sleep
Dr. Johnson-Hatchett explained that sleep is where memory consolidation occurs; depriving someone of needed sleep or denying them these sleep cycles can cause cognitive decline and poor memory recall and concentration.
Therefore, one of the most basic things we can do to improve our memory recall is to improve our sleep, specifically our slow wave and REM sleep.
Exercise Your Brain
If you don’t use it, you lose it. Dr. Johnson-Hatchett advised that brain exercises such as activities and games that stimulate and are geared towards memorization have been shown in a randomized study to improve cognitive performance including recall memory.
Ask Yourself To Remember
It’s been shown that the act of predicting whether you would remember specific important tasks can increase your likelihood of recalling these tasks.
So the next time you think of something you need to remember, ask yourself, “Will I remember it tomorrow?”
Test Yourself Regularly
It’s been shown that testing yourself regularly can help improve your memory recall and information retention.
“For instance, learning a topic, then asking yourself questions about that can improve your retention of that material faster and better than just re-reading or re-listening to that same information,” says Dr. Johnson-Hatchett.
Continue To Learn New Things
Strengthening memory—eidetic or otherwise—in adulthood takes practice and it requires you to consistently get outside your comfort zone.
Dr. Shetreat encourages everyone to continually learn new things. This can be learning an instrument, a martial art, a sport, or doing puzzles and reading books. Exercise and spending regular time immersed in nature are also memory enhancers.
“[Continually learning new things] will always cultivate better memory in general and enhance brain plasticity (new connections in the brain) no matter what your age,” shares Dr. Shetreat.
The ability to recall experiences, images and events allows us to make sense of our present and future. A strong memory can help us become lifelong learners. From brain exercises, and puzzles to better sleep, there are many techniques we can try to improve our memory and in turn, help us live long and healthy lives.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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