Jan. 3, 2007

Do the Eyes Have It?

Some people have a photographic memory and can memorize anything they see almost instantly! Wouldn't that make homework easy? Other people can remember almost anything they hear. Try this experiment to see which type of memory you have.

Objective

In this experiment, you will test if people have better visual memory (eyesight) or auditory memory (hearing).

Introduction

Are you one of those people who can never forget a face? Or perhaps you can hear a song just once and then sing it all the way through? Some people remember things better by seeing them, and have a strong visual memory. Other people remember things better after hearing them, and have a strong auditory memory. Why is it that we remember things in different ways?

Our memory is a function of our brain, which processes and stores information from the world around us using our five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. The brain integrates these experiences into a memory. For some people, certain senses create stronger memory than other senses. There are even people who never forget a smell, and become perfume makers!

There are also different types of memory functions that store information for different periods of time:

• working memory (like reciting something to yourself over and over to remember it immediately, measured in seconds)
• short-term memory (what you remember over short periods of time, measured in minutes or hours)
• long-term memory (what you remember over long periods of time, measured in days, weeks, months, or years)

In this experiment, you will test the visual and auditory memory of your participants. You will have them remember seven digits that they hear and that they read. To test the short-term memory, you will need to have them recite the alphabet to block their working memory. You will test them and compare how many digits they get correct. Will a person's auditory memory or visual memory be stronger?

Experimental Procedure and Additional Information

Used with permission. Copyright © 2002-2007 Kenneth Lafferty Hess Family Charitable Foundation. All rights reserved.

Gramling, Carolyn. 2006. Storing memories before bedtime. Science News for Kids (April 5). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20060405/Note2.asp .

Sohn, Emily. 2004. Sleep to remember places and routes. Science News for Kids (Nov. 10). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20041110/Note3.asp .

______. 2003. Memories are made with sleep. Science News for Kids (Oct. 15). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20031015/Note2.asp .

______. 2003. Remembering facts and feelings. Science News for Kids (April 23). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20030423/Note3.asp .

ScienceFairZone
Auditory Versus Visual Perception of a Color
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040825/ScienceFairZone.asp

Response of Adults to Caffeinated Coffee
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20031203/ScienceFairZone.asp

For more science project ideas, go to http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/areas_of_science.shtml .

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