Visual Memory And How It May Be Improved
Both short-term and long-term visual memory are used frequently in daily life and are considered especially important factors in our ability to learn. Impairments to visual memory can lead to complex challenges; but its function can also be improved in various ways. Below, we’re going to cover visual memory, how it works, and how it can be enhanced.
What is visual memory?
The term generally refers to the recollection of something we’ve seen, such as visual patterns, words, symbols, numbers, or other types of visual stimuli. Visual memory is an important mechanism through which we learn and recall information. There are :
Visual working memory
This is a short-term form of memory processing that helps us briefly store and utilize information from different visual stimuli. Visual working memory is used frequently in our day-to-day lives. For example, an artist may see an object in their environment and immediately sketch it, a student might quickly copy down text that they read, or you may remember the new password to your Wi-Fi network until you can write it down.
Most of us take in quite a bit of visual information in our daily lives, so the majority of the information that is processed in our short-term memory disappears quickly, particularly if we do not actively try to retain it. However, certain factors can cause short-term visual memory to convert to long-term memory, including repeated exposure or the existence of an emotional connection to the information.
Visual long-term memory
Visual long-term memory is a memory system that has a large capacity and can help us recall information that our brains have transferred from short-term to long-term storage. For instance, you may have childhood memories that you can recall vividly; or, when you repeatedly drive to a location, you may eventually learn the route without using a GPS. The retrieval of this information is often facilitated by visual long-term memory.
Examples of visual memory include:
Remembering the faces or outfits of people you’ve only seen once
Recalling specific details about objects, buildings, places, etc.
Remembering phone numbers in the correct order after reading them once or twice
Recalling specific words, images, letters, etc., after seeing them briefly
Visual memory and language
Visual memory is vital to our ability to communicate. As children learn to read and write, they generally process images of the words they see through their visual memory. If they then attach meaning to those images, thus helping them retain the information, they are more likely to recognize the words (and put them in context) when they see them again. You might remember learning sight words—frequently repeated words that children are often taught to recognize in order to make reading easier—when you were young.
Then, as children learn to write and spell, they can start to recall the appearance of each letter within the words. Similarly, when we’re learning to type, we may look at the keyboard to locate each letter. As we continue to practice typing, though, we typically start to remember where each letter is so we no longer have to look at the keyboard. Additionally, when we try to remember how to spell a word, many of us do this by picturing the word in our minds or visualizing ourselves writing or typing the word.
Recognizing deficits in visual memory
It can be important to be able to identify impairments in visual memory as they can signal the existence of a learning disorder or similar challenge in children. Someone who experiences a deficit in visual memory may display the following signs:
Trouble with reading comprehension, including needing to sound out every word
Difficulty spelling from memory
Math struggles
Trouble copying words and other images
Difficulty writing, including mixing up letters
Someone with a deficit in visual memory may use other forms of memory, such as auditory memory, to compensate. For example, when trying to spell something, someone with visual memory impairment may hear the letters in their head instead of seeing the visual stimuli. Auditory memory may not always be as effective as visual memory, so this can create challenges when it comes to processing and retrieving important information.
Common reasons for visual memory challenges
Damage to certain parts of the brain—particularly the visual cortex—can impair one’s ability to process visual information. Struggles with visual memory processing have also been linked to ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and similar conditions in which learning is impacted. Other factors that can negatively impact the visual system’s ability to process memory include poor sleep, substance use, and aging.
If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.
How to enhance visual memory
If you or your child is experiencing difficulties with visual memory in daily life, or if you want to strengthen your visual memory, various techniques may help. Many of the following exercises are geared toward children but can also be useful for adults.
The I Spy game
To play I Spy, you’ll need at least two people. One person will look around the environment and select an object, then describe it to the others using only its first letter (typically by saying, “I spy with my little eye something beginning with the letter __”). Then the participants can guess what is being described. This can require the players to digest the world around them and use their visual working memory to find things that match the description of the object.
Spot the Difference
This game can be played in various ways, but it primarily asks the participants to identify variations between two similar images. You may be able to find activity books and online games where you're shown two similar pictures that have minor differences. These games usually list how many differences there are so that you know when you’ve found them all.
To play this game with a child in person, you can put a few objects on a table, ask them to take a look, and then have them look away or close their eyes. You can then replace or rearrange the objects and ask them to identify the differences.
Matching games
One of the most popular types of memory exercises is a simple matching game, which can improve visual memory in children and adults. In general, the game involves setting out an even number of face-down cards that are paired off and shuffled so that they aren’t easily matched. Each player may flip over two cards at a time. When they find a pair, they can put the cards in their pile and take another turn. Whoever has the most cards in their pile when all pairs have been claimed wins.
Recounting daily experiences
To help a child or someone else with their visual memory, let them discuss their day in as much detail as possible. Ask them what they ate for lunch, what they did at school, and so on. They may use their visual memory to provide answers.
Combining audio and visual memory
To enhance one’s ability to understand written instructions, such as those on a homework assignment, it can help to also provide verbal instructions. This reinforcement can help not only with visual learning, but also with strengthening the connection between auditory and visual memory.
Online therapy for memory challenges
Studies show that online therapy can help individuals address concerns that may be related to their mental health and cognitive functioning. For example, researchers in one study found that online therapy reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety while also improving memory. These results can be added to those of a number of studies pointing to the efficacy of online therapy for a range of mental health and cognitive challenges.
Online therapy is there for you when you want to talk through the emotions that may arise as a result of memory impairment. Utilizing an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can receive frequent reminders of appointments with your licensed therapist, making it easier for you to remember upcoming sessions. You’ll also have the option of reaching out to your therapist outside of sessions, which can be helpful if you forgot to mention something or want to clarify a point made during therapy.
Takeaway
What is an example of visual memory?
Visual memory consists of the systems used to perceive imagery and store it in memory. Anytime you look at something, you use visual memory, but not always in the same way. Visual memory is often split into two categories: visual working memory and visual long-term memory. Visual working memory allows a person to retain and manipulate visual information for a short time. It allows information from vision to be connected to other brain functions, such as attention or movement. On the other hand, visual long-term memory is associated with episodic memory, which is responsible for the ability to imagine things a person has seen in the past.
What is a visual memory called?
Visual memory is often split into two categories: visual working memory and visual long-term memory. Visual working memory is a sort of “workbench” where signals from visual perception are prepared for and connected to other parts of the brain for further processing. Visual long-term memory is responsible for storing images for later access. It forms a part of episodic memory, which is the ability to remember specific events and experiences from the past.
Does everyone have a visual memory?
Most people have a visual memory, even those born without site. Improper brain development, injury, or illness could potentially damage the visual memory system or make it non-functional, but nearly every person’s brain contains the neural circuitry to commit visual stimuli to memory.
How do you know if you have visual memory?
Anyone who can retain visual imagery has visual memory. Without it, recalling images or even understanding what was being seen would be impossible. If you can remember what you’ve seen before, you have visual memory.
Is visual memory short-term?
Visual memory can be both short-term and long-term. Short-term storage of visual input occurs within visual working memory, which is a part of memory that allows information to be processed and sent to other parts of the brain. In contrast, visual long-term memory is responsible for placing information from vision into memory for future access.
What is an example of a visual recognition memory?
Visual recognition memories occur when a person immediately recognizes something when they see it. The visual recognition system of the brain is one of the most well-developed structures in the human brain, allowing it to parse visual information and return an identification in milliseconds. One example might be when you see the face of someone you know well and whose company you enjoy. Likely, the psychological and physiological processes that occur in the few moments after recognizing them are attributable to a visual recognition memory.
Where does visual memory come from?
Visual memory is distributed across many structures and functions throughout the brain, but two major anatomical areas that account for visual memory are the posterior parietal cortex and the visual cortex. The visual cortex is primarily associated with visual long-term memory, while the parietal cortex is primarily associated with visual working memory.
The visual cortex has two main pathways for processing information: the dorsal and the ventral. The dorsal stream is involved in the visual-spatial location of objects. It is sometimes known as the “where” pathway. The ventral stream primarily identifies and recognizes objects, making it the “what” pathway. Information from both streams is used to encode visual memories within the brain. In contrast, the posterior parietal cortex serves as a temporary storage area for visual information, allowing it to be manipulated and distributed across the brain.
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