Eidetic memory (/aɪˈdɛtɪk/ eye-DET-ik; more commonly called photographic memory) is the ability to recall an image from memory with high precision for a brief period after seeing it only once,[1] and without using a mnemonic device.[2]Although the terms eidetic memory and photographic memory are popularly used interchangeably,[1] 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[2][3] and photographic memory referring to the ability to recall pages of text or numbers, or similar, in great detail.[4][5] When the concepts are distinguished, eidetic memory is reported to occur in a small number of children and generally not found in adults,[2][6] while true photographic memory has never been demonstrated to exist.[5][7]
I had a weak kind of photographic memory which peaked when I was about ten and which disappeared with puberty. I put it down to the hormones scrambling my brains. When I was ten, I could clear a space in my memory or inner vision by symbolically cleaning it with a blackboard duster and write numbers on the space. I could do a row of numbers in one colour, say pink, and then another row, say in blue. Next I might completely divert my attention by doing something unrelated, for a while, and when I returned to look at the inner space, I could read the numbers off. I proved this was true and that the numbers were the ones I wrote down in my mind. It's very easy to devise an experiment that would prove them correct.
I can remember real events from well before I was one year old and when I was 40, I could still remember long lines of analysis from chess books read only once, well enough to play them accurately. Other people have demonstrated an ability to read back long lists of random numbers, read only once. So it really exists.
I would suggest that it's a paranormal ability. There is a mode of thinking which completely dismisses the paranormal by claiming there is no evidence or that it has never been demonstrated but that is only the incorrect opinion of wishful thinkers!
That makes no sense. "I have an ability that relates the the external world, but don't ask me to prove it! Even though I claim to have "perfect" memory which can EASILY be tested, NO! It's paranormal and you just don't understand lolololzzz." Gimme a break hahah photographic memory is probably the EASIEST thing to demonstrate, you get shown something and you can either remember it PERFECTLY or not. Staaaahhhhhhpppppp
It’s quite a rare ability. Generally people don’t brag they possess the skill, have researched their unique skill and don’t use the misnomer photographic memory.
Most all of the elite chess players possess an eidetic memory at some level. It’s an advantage when playing/ studying chess. We rarely hear them speaking of it.
Yeah, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. What's the point of stating you have an ability no human has been proven to have and then provide no evidence? People have varying degrees of memory, but stating you have photographic memory is ignorant at best, dishonest at worst.