When you read about memory and learning, you will eventually come across the idea of “chunking”, which is a strategy our brains use to help remember information. You will also learn that for information that relates to numbers and words, our brains can remember 7+/-2 items (which means between 5 and 9) items easily.
Visual memory was often thought to rely on the same kind of 7 +/-2 items, but new research (published in the journal Science) suggests that visual memory is much more flexible than scientists have previously thought.
In this study, participants were asked to remember several objects from a computer screen. The screen went blank, and then the participants were shown the objects again, and had to state if the objects had changed position from the initial presentation. Participants found it more difficult to determine placement of items when the number of items increased, but they never had trouble identifying which items they had seen before.
More simply, this means that they knew they had seen the objects before, even if they couldn’t figure out exactly where on the screen they were. They were able to remember seeing more than 5 items, which would not be expected if visual memory were limited to 7 +/- 2.
Researchers conclude that working visual memory tends to take in the whole scene, and then remember a few important details. Our visual memory tends to be flexible in how many elements it remembers, based on our level of interest and focused attention.
This is an important finding because it suggests how we can help improve memory- maybe through using visual methods rather than verbal or written words. What do you think?
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I already knew this because I never forget a face. It is easier to remember faces compared to names most of the time for me.
This is very true. My daughter had great difficulty with mathematics, and was placed in an applied class — where everything was more visual and hands on. She actually was the top in her class for almost a full semester.
Do you think that training our mind as we go older will also help our memory?
So do you believe that hypnosis can improve our memory?
I agree with the chunking theory … and definitely use my visual memoray especially when I am interested.
Very interesting theory. Now I understand why I can’t put a name to a face. I know the face, but can’t remember the name.
I agree with Amanda. It’s so embarassing to have been introduced to someone … you run into them a couple of months later … and you just pray that they will mention their name. So is there a way through hypnosis to assist in improving your memory?
I wonder if this would work for aging people that might be showing signs of memory loss. It probably definitely works as a preventative measure to improve memory in general, but could it be possible to help improve memories that are already weakening?
I agree comletely! Also I think the larger the platform of visual intake ie, a face, large picture, movie screen vs letters on a page or magazine etc. The more effective…
I don’t believe the mind will EVER be fully understood! For example, I came across the following the other day. Take a read:
The Paomnnehal Pweor Of The Hmuan Mnid.
Aoccdrnig to a rscheehcar at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Wree you albe to raed tihs prgpaarah eilsay? I tohghut so!
I was totally amazed when I read this paragraph flawlwssly the first time, and then realized that the words were actually scrambled!
I remember reading about that before too Greg, that’s pretty awesome. It’s kind of like that thing from the Da Vinci Code (I think that’s where it was from) where, on the Last Supper painting, people are usually just focused on Jesus that they don’t even really noticing the somewhat odd positionings and expressions of the other disciples. We get used to and focused on certain things so much that it’s very difficult to lose focus of it and see it a different way.
THAT IS SO COOL! I didn’t even realize I was reading a scrambled paragraph until afterward! I had to take a look back at it! The mind is such a complicated organ (it is an organ, isn’t it?) that I can’t believe that we’ll ever know everything about it! I’m sure that, someday, somebody will figure out the pathways to the brain, much like circuits on an electronics board but, as I said, i can’t see that coming in MY lifetime!
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