Shifty Eyes May Be A Sign Of Good Memory

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 4-5-2007 | Roger Highfield

[blam]

Shifty eyes may be a sign of good memory

By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
Last Updated: 11:41pm BST 04/05/2007

Moving your eyes from side to side for 30 seconds can boost your power of recall, researchers say.

Horizontal eye wiggles are thought to cause the two hemispheres of the brain to interact more, improving the ability to retrieve memories.

Scientists at Manchester Metropolitan University found people who made horizontal eye movements recognised significantly more previously studied words than subjects who did not make such eye movements. They also had fewer errors in their recall.

Dr Andrew Parker, whose findings are reported in the latest issue of the journal Brain and Cognition, said: "That such a straightforward experimental manipulation can bring about enhanced memory for studied information and lower the number of memory errors is quite exciting."

The work suggests horizontal eye movements could be helping people to remember.

"We are conducting more research to clarify and extend the current findings," Dr Parker said yesterday.

"It may help someone recall an important piece of information for an exam."

[Bean Counter]

[Cruz]

cool post

[kitkat]

***Not me. I state straight ahead, and move what I’m reading back and forth. It’s a real pain with a computer monitor, let me tell you.***

Ohhh, that sounds painful. Try to do as I do. It’s much easier on the shoulder muscles. I lip read whatever I see on my computer screen.

[kitkat]

Oh, I forgot to mention that you speak very distinctly.

[kitkat]

Despite your southern accent.

[potlatch]

[devolve]

LOL!

[potlatch]

LOL is right!! You did a good job of getting those green eyes in there just right.

Poor thing, she has no eyeliner or eyelashes, snicker.

[devolve]

I think I offset a section of something on a TP BG and spun it with 8 frames then colored it chartreuse

Yes - locating them can be great fun without a PC or software

[potlatch]

In spite of your good work - they are still ‘shifty’!!

Quivering, panicky, diabolic. Naa, red eyes would be diabolic!

[devolve]

I tried to get the look of very thick eyeglasses and bit of whimsy

[potlatch]

capriccio

[devolve]

Right

[Larry Lucido]

Of course, that's also what happens when we read.

It's true! I just read this and can't remember a word of it.

[Fiddlstix]

.....and I frequently shift from side to side, corner to corner,.....

I do that too. Usually when I wander off in a daze mumbling to myself and bumping into things........
(Thankfully I have very kind neighbors who find me wandering around and bring me back home)
LOL

[donna]

Me, too. It seems to me that when you look a person in the eye your thoughts stay in that moment instead of thinking about the discussion. It’s too personal to look some people in the eye.

[roadcat]

Okay, I lowered my eyes and kept shifting my eyes left and right for 30 seconds while talking to this gal and trying to remember her name. Next thing I know I’m slapped. Now I remember her name but also the pain. It ain’t worth it!