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How do savants' (is that the right word?) brains work?
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:15 am
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:15 am
I've always been curious. I''m refering to the people who for example could watch a box of toothpicks fall on the ground and instantly know how many there are on the floor. It blows my mind. What is it about their brains that allows that to happen? And also, why does it seem like the people with that ability are somewhat "slow" otherwise? People who have that skill always seem to be somewhat slow cognitively, you don't really see some normal Joe who can do stuff like that.
12
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:17 am to MrTwoBits
my best guess is that they have different parts of their brain turned off/on
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:17 am to MrTwoBits
quote:
could watch a box of toothpicks fall on the ground and instantly know how many there are on the floor.
There would be 1000...
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:17 am to MrTwoBits
Too bad you can't count toothpicks, huh?
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:17 am to MrTwoBits
All of their mental power is focused on that one area. Leaving little for the others. It's like that area is always moving and processing data.
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:18 am to MrTwoBits
Brain can only do so much. It's a give and take.
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:18 am to MrTwoBits
(no message)
This post was edited on 8/8/20 at 11:55 am
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:20 am to MrTwoBits
LINK
One of the more amazing things I've ever seen. Guy draws the entire skyline of major city's from memory and maybe some audio reminders if I remember correctly. I saw something where they looked at his drawings and they were pretty much to scale as well.
One of the more amazing things I've ever seen. Guy draws the entire skyline of major city's from memory and maybe some audio reminders if I remember correctly. I saw something where they looked at his drawings and they were pretty much to scale as well.
This post was edited on 3/24/14 at 10:21 am
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:25 am to MrTwoBits
Although much remains to be discovered, what they believe is that the brain responds to the cognitive difficulties (savants are, generally, under some functional limitations linked to cognitive ability, even if they have a high level of adaptive functioning) - by creating new connections in other parts of the brain - effectively rewiring it.
This can result in perfect musical memory, photographic/phonographic memory, or other amazing abilities, as the information bypasses the normal cognitive centers.
Savantism is one of my areas of interest, although I'm not an expert by any stretch. That's my best hip shoot.
This can result in perfect musical memory, photographic/phonographic memory, or other amazing abilities, as the information bypasses the normal cognitive centers.
Savantism is one of my areas of interest, although I'm not an expert by any stretch. That's my best hip shoot.
This post was edited on 3/24/14 at 10:26 am
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:25 am to MrTwoBits
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:28 am to FenrirTheBeard
Link doesn't work.
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:29 am to FenrirTheBeard
watch the youtube series about the real "Rain Man" guy, would link but at work
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:35 am to Fusaichi Pegasus
The guy above who said it has to do with focus is correct. A normal persons version of "focus" is you are working on something but, meanwhile, you are also thinking about this month's bills, getting laid, what's for lunch, the upcoming weekend, etc at some level.
Savants are completely focused on that one task so they perform at a very high level with respect to that one thing. Resulting in them seeming "slow" with respect to other tasks. I wish I had the ability to perform like that but on cue and with the ability to turn it on and off.
Savants are completely focused on that one task so they perform at a very high level with respect to that one thing. Resulting in them seeming "slow" with respect to other tasks. I wish I had the ability to perform like that but on cue and with the ability to turn it on and off.
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:36 am to TigerNutts
Fixed, thanks
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:41 am to FenrirTheBeard
I have seen normal people have moments of this...
Counting things while falling, replaying simultaneous sounds in their minds and counting them...
Always hit and miss.
Never met someone truly switched on.
Counting things while falling, replaying simultaneous sounds in their minds and counting them...
Always hit and miss.
Never met someone truly switched on.
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:46 am to MrTwoBits
quote:
why does it seem like the people with that ability are somewhat "slow" otherwise?
Most of them don't have a lick of sense.
Posted on 3/24/14 at 10:48 am to Homesick Tiger
I have never believed that toothpick nonsense. Do they have increadible eyesight that allows them to not only see every toothpick but to account for those that are stuck together? What happens when they grow older and vision goes down hill?
Posted on 3/24/14 at 11:24 am to DanTiger
Maybe he deducts the toothpicks as they are used. Always watching the toothpick box. It falls over and he says 968 because he knows 32 have been taken. His obsession with keeping up with the toothpicks is mistaken for the ability to count them all in the air....in a half/second, which we know is impossible.
Posted on 3/24/14 at 11:36 am to MrTwoBits
Is Karl Pilkington considered one?
Posted on 3/24/14 at 11:39 am to Ace Midnight
quote:
This can result in perfect musical memory, photographic/phonographic memory, or other amazing abilities, as the information bypasses the normal cognitive centers.
LINK
As far as I can find, there has never been a single documented example of a person having a true photographic memory. Many have exceptional memories, but when tested will eventually make a mistake.
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