It really may be a case of in one ear and out the other. Research shows we have a poor memory for sound. As a result, we find it easier to remember things we see or touch than those we hear.
The researchers recommend that we write down things we want to remember – and supplement the words with pictures.
To make the finding, US scientists asked a group of students to listen to pairs of beeps and say if the two were identical.
The time lag between the beeps in each pair was gradually increased and the accuracy of their answers noted.
Visual memory was measured by doing the task with pictures and to test memory for touch, the students repeatedly gripped a bar that vibrated at different rates.
In the very short-term, all three types of memory were equally good.
But within just four to eight seconds, the students clearly found it harder to remember the beeps than the pictures or vibrations.
The finding could help explain why it is so hard to remember a lecture if you don’t write it down.
Writing in the journal PLOS ONE, Dr Poremba said the results suggest that the way the mind processes and stores sound may be different from the way it process and stores other types of memories.
She said: ‘We tend to think that the parts of our brain wired for memory are integrated.
‘But our findings indicate our brain may use separate pathways to process information.
‘Even more, our study suggests the brain may process auditory information differently than visual and tactile information, and alternative strategies – such as increased mental repetition – may be needed when trying to improve memory.
‘As teachers, we want to assume students will remember everything we say. But if you really want something to be memorable you may need to include a visual or hands-on experience, in addition to auditory information.’
