The Incidence of Eidetic Imagery as a Function of Age

Many theorists suggest that eidetic imagery is important in early child development, but there have been few systematic attempts to test whether eidetic imagery varies inversely with age. A sample of 280 students, ranging in age from 5 to 18 years, was tested for eidetic imagery by methods designed to minimize the probability of confusion between eidetic imagery and visual memory imagery of any other type. As expected, the youngest age groups showed the highest frequency of eidetic imagery, and beyond age 7, the incidence did not vary systematically. The results are interpreted as indicating the plausibility of a theory which affords eidetic imagery a role in the early cognitive development of the child.