Attention grabbers snatch lion's share of visual memory

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When watching a relay race we will allocate more memory to key objects: the faces of the relay team we are supporting the baton etc. Less important details such as members of the other teams will be allocated less memory. Visually arresting details s ...
When watching a relay race, we will allocate more memory to key objects: the faces of the relay team we are supporting, the baton, etc. Less important details, such as members of the other teams, will be allocated less memory. Visually arresting details such as a runner's pink hair will catch our attention and be allocated more memory. Credit: actionplus.co.uk
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Our visual memory is not as good as we may think, according to research funded by the Wellcome Trust – but it can be used more flexibly than scientists previously thought. In a study published today in the journal Science, researchers have shown how we remember what we see and why we can recall visually important or striking images most clearly, using a topical example of a relay race to illustrate the concept.


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