![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on April 13, 2009, at 8:11:46
Is this a different part of the brain? I have always had trouble remembering human names, but no particular trouble with other sorts of memories. Even dog names. So that I would recognize people as being "Rover's person", but not as John Doe. Eventually I would of course. But it was a much slower process.
My son seems to be the same.
I always thought it was a social anxiety thing. But knowing my weakness, my husband has been helping me try to remember the names of our Sunday School class. It took months of repetition and drilling for me to become fairly accurate at not only remembering the names, but assigning them to the right people. It's not that large a class either.
I've learned the whole Dale Carnegie remembering names thing. But the only one it's worked for was the first one I remember that way.
Are those memories connected to a different memory system? Is there a reason my son can remember some things with astonishing accuracy, yet can spend a year trying to sort out the names of the people in a group? Or that I can remember dog names perfectly well, but struggle to associate names to their people? (Or recognize them as Rover's owner unless Rover is with them?)
Posted by Phillipa on April 13, 2009, at 13:05:34
In reply to Name recognition, posted by Dinah on April 13, 2009, at 8:11:46
Dinah I have to laugh as I do the same thing. Know all the dogs names. Oh that's Rover's Dad what's his name? Now my husband remember names and numbers amazingly well. I think it's a need. As when taught Aerobice knew everyones name the first day. Now don't have to remember names. And when working Room numbers where the patients not their names. Wierd how the mind works. I'm Teddy, Chloes and Sunny's Mom. Love Phillipa
Posted by Kath on April 13, 2009, at 13:16:26
In reply to Name recognition, posted by Dinah on April 13, 2009, at 8:11:46
Hi Dinah - I wonder if it's a certain part of the brain! I bet it is. My husband has the same problem. One time at work, each person at a meeting had to introduce the person next to them............... Yup - hubby couldn't remember the guy's name & it's someone who he works with every day! Luckily the guy caught DH's vibes, I guess & put forth his name!
It's a big stressor for DH. He is the type who includes a person's name along with the "Hi." when he happens to meet someone. I, on the other hand, tend to say, "Hi - how are ya doing?" etc.
I've noticed there are people who often say my name when they see me or are talking to me & others (like myself) who don't at all!!
xox Kath
Posted by Sigismund on April 13, 2009, at 18:23:19
In reply to Name recognition, posted by Dinah on April 13, 2009, at 8:11:46
Edward VIII didn't come across as being that smart, yet he could go into a room full of people, be introduced, and remember all their names.
My sister and I were out with some friends and their kids water skiing.
We were talking, when she said
'What's their names?'
'Who?'
'Mum and Dad.'
'You mean (our parents names)?
'No, the ones over there.'
'This is just the beginning. It will get much worse.' etc etc
Posted by Dinah on April 13, 2009, at 21:10:40
In reply to Name recognition, posted by Dinah on April 13, 2009, at 8:11:46
I suppose what brought it to mind was my son expressing his own frustration with it.
I'd developed a way to look at my own problems with names (and faces), but it's hard to apply that story to my son. He's himself, not me.
Then I remembered how really hard I've been working on it lately, and how hard it still is, even when I work at it.
I suppose that we all have stories to make sense of our lives. Then something will happen to make the story seem not as good a fit as previously thought.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Social | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.