Study Shows that Humans Struggle to Remember Sounds

Humans don't remember sounds as good as they remember images, according to a new study.

The study, conducted by researchers at University of Iowa, found that humans tend to remember images and things that they have touched better than sounds.

"As it turns out, there is merit to the Chinese proverb 'I hear, and I forget; I see, and I remember," said UI graduate student, James Bigelow, the lead author of the study.

The study was based on data from 100 UI undergraduate students. Researchers designed an experiment to test the short-term memory of the participants.

"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," said Amy Poremba, associate professor in the UI Department of Psychology and corresponding author on the paper, according to a news release.

Previous research has shown that people who have difficulty in hearing one sound among many (such as a conversation in a noisy room), also have mild memory problems.

Also, humans aren't the only primates with impairments in sound-based short-term memory. Related studies have shown that monkeys have better memories for visual and tactile information.

In the present study, participants were asked to listen to different tones, see shapes and feel low-intensity vibrations by holding an aluminium bar.  Researchers found that students' memory declined with increasing time delays.

In another experiment, researchers exposed participants to common sights and sounds such as a basketball match or a dog barking. Participants were even asked to touch objects that were hidden from the view.

Researchers found that, even after a week later, participants were more likely to remember images of the basketball match or the things that they had felt rather than sound-clips.

The study could help teachers and even advertisers. "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," said Poremba in a news release.

The study is published in the journal PLOS One.