Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Memory tools "Visual Memory" (self.Blind)
submitted by itsaname123456789
I am doing the free "learning how to learn" course, and it made me curious about something.
The idea of using visual memory to enhance memory capability is touted by many people. Some of the competitive memory champions call it "memory palace". Basically you try to link things in your brain to a vivid 2D or 3D scene that strengthens recall of the memory on demand.
An example (maybe not a great one but I try): You want to remember an element and it's atomic number, Radium and 88. You thought the scene from "Kill Bill" with the "crazy 88's" was awesome, RADical even. You imagine the heroine facing down 88 radical enemies, they are glowing green with radiation and doing figure 8's around her as they fight... Every time you encounter Radium 88 in your studies you bring up this image of glow in the dark, figure-8 dancing ninjas - its a powerful image. Now if you try to recall what the atomic number of Radium is, your memory knows where to find that data - its associated with that radical scene.
So, I am curious what blind from birth and other blind people do memory recall techniques that might be similar or different. These "scenes" are usually constructed in imagination so I wonder how important it is to have "seen" the parts used to construct them. Do you use your visual memory? Or a 3D space, scent, sound, taste, texture, temperature, or movement association? I assume that the spacial memory would be strongest for blind people but what do you think? A follow up - have you had any memory training that has helped you adapt to your environments or routines? How valuable did you find this training or practice?
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\*Edit\* I should mention I guess that evolution favored more resources to visual memory as it helped us survive. This is why the theory that we can use this as a larger resource than trying to remember just strings of text. Check out the work of the Kyoto primate research center for more on that.
The idea of using visual memory to enhance memory capability is touted by many people. Some of the competitive memory champions call it "memory palace". Basically you try to link things in your brain to a vivid 2D or 3D scene that strengthens recall of the memory on demand.
An example (maybe not a great one but I try): You want to remember an element and it's atomic number, Radium and 88. You thought the scene from "Kill Bill" with the "crazy 88's" was awesome, RADical even. You imagine the heroine facing down 88 radical enemies, they are glowing green with radiation and doing figure 8's around her as they fight... Every time you encounter Radium 88 in your studies you bring up this image of glow in the dark, figure-8 dancing ninjas - its a powerful image. Now if you try to recall what the atomic number of Radium is, your memory knows where to find that data - its associated with that radical scene.
So, I am curious what blind from birth and other blind people do memory recall techniques that might be similar or different. These "scenes" are usually constructed in imagination so I wonder how important it is to have "seen" the parts used to construct them. Do you use your visual memory? Or a 3D space, scent, sound, taste, texture, temperature, or movement association? I assume that the spacial memory would be strongest for blind people but what do you think? A follow up - have you had any memory training that has helped you adapt to your environments or routines? How valuable did you find this training or practice?
​
\*Edit\* I should mention I guess that evolution favored more resources to visual memory as it helped us survive. This is why the theory that we can use this as a larger resource than trying to remember just strings of text. Check out the work of the Kyoto primate research center for more on that.
oncenightvaler 2 points 3y ago
I spend a lot of my memory time with straight memorization. I have a map of my city but it mostly started out as "what are the major north south streets in order from where you are to the next city?" "What are the major east west streets from where you are to the next city?" After I learned up town where I am I learned down town the same way.
I do have a vivid imagination I just don't often use it in memory, just in reading and in my dreams.
I do have a vivid imagination I just don't often use it in memory, just in reading and in my dreams.
itsaname123456789 [OP] 1 points 3y ago
That's interesting! What kind of format would you describe your maps as? Do you have a 2D impression , or do you have it as a kind of spacial sense or simply a sequence of street names?
oncenightvaler 2 points 3y ago
I have a 2D map and I have a sense of street names like I stated, but my map has lots of blank spaces on it, and only sometimes buildings and landmarks that are on that street.
TheBlindBookLover 1 points 3y ago
I have tried to use memory palaces in the past, but I really struggled with it. There are many blind people who have amazing spacial memory and abilities, but I am not one of them. I try to use mnemonics, but I would like to have a mental place to store them in like memory palaces. I would appreciate any suggestions.
itsaname123456789 [OP] 1 points 3y ago
I've tried and struggled too. From what I understand, it is a skill like any other. I also suck at playing guitar, but with consistent practice it is supposed to get easier. Master 1 chord or one memory, and the next will be faster to master. So I've heard.
KillerLag 1 points 3y ago
When someone is born blind, the brain isn't going to just not use the visual cortex, that is valuable. The brain can rewire itself to use other input (such as sound or smell) (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/blind-peoples-brains-rewire-themselves-enhance-other-senses-180962653/) and that can be used to help generate a memory palace. The important thing is knowing an area (or object) so well, you can use a known path. I recall a theoretical discussion before about using a movie or a song in such a manner.
Remy_C 1 points 3y ago
I don't have an answer, but I do have really poor recall, and in a job where good recall is really helpful. I'd like to hear what others say on the subject.
bradley22 0 points 3y ago
I don’t do this kind of thing sadly, it sounds fun.
If a thing is important to me, like Harry Potter, I’ll try my best to remember it. But things like maths, and those point things, I don’t care for them and find them to hard and don’t care to improve on it.
If a thing is important to me, like Harry Potter, I’ll try my best to remember it. But things like maths, and those point things, I don’t care for them and find them to hard and don’t care to improve on it.
bradley22 0 points 3y ago
Those point things, also known as percentages haha. I totally forgot the name.
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