Is there such a thing as "photographic memory"? A Straight Dope Classic from Cecil's Storehouse of Human Knowledge September 1, 2000 Dear Cecil: A guy I knew in college claimed to be doing his graduate thesis on photographic memory and how one could acquire it.
Since I never saw said genius again I want to know if such a thing really exists or if it's something out of spy novels. Eidetic memory. Overview[edit] The ability to recall images in great detail for several minutes is found in early childhood (between 2% and 10% of that age group) and is unconnected with the person's intelligence level.
[citation needed] Like other memories, they are often subject to unintended alterations. The ability usually begins to fade after the age of six years, perhaps as growing vocal skills alter the memory process.[2][3] A few adults have had phenomenal memories (not necessarily of images), but their abilities are also unconnected with their intelligence levels and tend to be highly specialized.
In extreme cases, like those of Solomon Shereshevsky and Kim Peek, memory skills can actually hinder social skills.[4]