''I Don't Remember'': Why Verbal Reminders Don't Work

As it turns out, our brain stores information in very different ways depending on the type of information it is exposed to. Audio information is stored in one way - think of it as a more temporary to fleeting way - while visual information is stored entirely differently. It is stored in a much better way - a way that makes a visual memory much easier to recall.

Can you recall the last time you forgot something? Maybe it was the last time someone told you a phone number and before you could say it a few times over in your head or write it down, you briefly got distracted by something.. and PFFT! It’s gone, without any trace of its existence in your mind. We all forget stuff from time to time. Either we don’t pay attention, we get distracted or have a million other things in our mind. But for people with ADHD, who already have attention span difficulties, memory and recalling stuff can be quite the quest in their daily lives.

##The memory of images are far superior A study from the 1970s demonstrates that subjects, exposed to 2.560 items for 10 seconds, were able to recall more than 90% or over 2.000 items (1). Another study examining the auditory recognition memory presented subjects with 96 distinctive 5-seconds sound clips from a broad range of sources, i.e. birds chirping, a coffee shop, motorcycles, etc. The subjects first listened to a session of 64 sound clips before immediately moving on to the next session, listening to another 64 sound clips, half new clips and half clips from the first session. The subjects were asked to indicate whether the sound clips were old or new. The hit rate was 78% with a false alarm rate of 20% (2). To put this study in perspective, another study with 600 images yielded a hit rate of 98% (3). So if you struggle with remembering what others have told you - then there is a perfect natural reason for this. It is simply the lack of visual stimuli.

The codes are stored in different places in the brain, thus making the information more memorable and hereby remembrance easier and more likely, whereas words only carry the verbal code (4). Additionally, if you really want to remember something, a combination of words and pictures is best. As the memory store visual and verbal memories separately, a combination of both will increase the recollection (4).

From visual images to pictograms and emojis

These above findings, demonstrating the superiority of visual information, are the reason why emojis are incorporated in Tiimo app, which can help support people with executive function challenges. With images or emojis, the reminders from Tiimo will likely be both remembered better and acted upon quicker. People with ADHD tend to have a selective attention span, and therefore either tend to forget stuff or can have trouble maintaining focus on a task at hand. Visual images and accompanying explanatory text can increase the processing of a task, recall of it and promote focus. The same goes for Autistic people, some of whom find it easier to communicate by the use of pictograms in a variety of situations (5)

With Tiimo app, users are able to use emojis, colors and own pictures in order to communicate in the best possible way. This hereby conveys much stronger cues or reminders, accompanied by text and visuals images, emojis or pictures.

This not only improves the users' visual memory but also increases the attention span for each activity or reminder - which are two important factors for Autistic people and/or people with ADHD who can struggle with focusing or remembering. In particular, our emojis have been welcomed by our users - making the reminders more human, fun and humorous.

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