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Short term memory - are there times when we're superior?

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When you can concentrate, how many digits can you remember and repeat back?
below normal (1-2) 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
normal (3-7) 36%  36%  [ 5 ]
above average (8-9) 29%  29%  [ 4 ]
even more (10+) 29%  29%  [ 4 ]
superpowered (Kim Peek levels of instant memory) 7%  7%  [ 1 ]
Total votes : 14

Anemone
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13 Oct 2013, 4:14 pm

I googled this and there are tons of threads here talking about having poor short term memory, and of course if we're distracted or overwhelmed things are not going to register. But what about when you are able to concentrate, like on those tests where you have to repeat back a series of digits? How is your short term memory then?

Average is 5 digits, ± 2 (which is why phone numbers are 7 digits, or used to be).

I can remember many many more digits if I'm allowed to concentrate, though I'm not superpowered like Kim Peek or Stephen Wiltshire.



Fnord
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13 Oct 2013, 4:34 pm

Pi, Phi, Tau, and the root of natural logarithms out to the 20th decimal point are about all that I can manage.

My home phone? Lemme check ...


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Epsilon
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13 Oct 2013, 6:26 pm

(For me) It depends on if the same digits are used more often than others.


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Codyrules37
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13 Oct 2013, 7:27 pm

thats bull crap most people cannot remember up to 10 numbers in a row.

most people can only remember up to 7 numbers at once and it gets lower as you age.

If someone tells you 10 numbers in a row and you can repeat them back without any second chances, then you have a very superior short term memory



ParaSait
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13 Oct 2013, 8:12 pm

I find the poll options a bit strange... I mean, I can repeat like 200 and over... :|

EDIT: well, okay, of course that is provided that I do get some time to study the series of digit a bit...
EDIT2: but wait, I probably missed the point... if you mean instantly repeating a completely new series of digits after hearing it from someone for the first time... I'd say maybe like somewhere around... 15?


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btbnnyr
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14 Oct 2013, 1:13 am

Visual, verry merry berry good for written strings of digits.

Auditory for spoken strings of digits, not good, not bad.


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Joe90
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14 Oct 2013, 4:46 am

I thought Autistics were known to be good at remembering numbers?

Just to say, I'm not.


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LonelyJar
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31 Oct 2013, 2:18 am

I'm in the normal range; my aunt said that I used to be able to memorize more numbers when I was younger, but I don't believe her.



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31 Oct 2013, 2:31 am

I'm relatively above average at number retention, of course I have grapheme-colour synesthesia, so seeing all the numbers in colour in my head as I hear them definitely helps. I do way better at remembering numbers I read though; my auditory memory kind of sucks.


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boxjuice
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31 Oct 2013, 5:50 am

The average isn't 5 plus or minus 2, it's 7 plus or minus 2.

Edit: unless you meant that as the avg for aspies?



Anemone
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31 Oct 2013, 6:43 am

boxjuice wrote:
The average isn't 5 plus or minus 2, it's 7 plus or minus 2.

Edit: unless you meant that as the avg for aspies?


I got that number from a recent psychology textbook (which is what got me thinking about it). But yes, I remember hearing a long time ago that it was 7±2. So ??? Beats me.