Research shows blind people have more accurate memories

Experts at the University of Bath discovered that individuals with no visual experience had the most superior verbal and memory skills.

A team from the University’s Department of Psychology ran memory tests on groups of congenitally blind people, those with late onset blindness and sighted people.

Each participant listened to a series of word lists and was then asked to recall what they had heard.

Research has previously shown people can falsely “remember” words related to those said. For example, hearing “chimney”, “cigar” and “fire” could trigger a
false recollection of the word “smoke”.

The University of Bath team,
in collaboration with a research assistant from Queen Mary
University of London, found
congenitally blind people remember more words and were
less likely to create false memories.

Sighted and late blind participants remembered fewer words that were said, and more that were not.

Distortions and illusions within human memory are well documented in scientific and forensic work and appear to be a basic feature of memory functioning.

Several studies previously suggested that blind people – especially those with no visual experience – possess superior verbal and memory skills.

Dr Michael Proulx, who led the University of Bath study, added: “There is an old Hebrew proverb that believes the blind were the most trustworthy sources for quotations and that certainly seems true in this case.

“It will be interesting to
see whether congenitally blind
individuals would also be
better witnesses in forensic studies.”