Sparrow, B., Liu, J., & Wegner, D. M. (2011). Google effects on memory: Cognitive consequences of having information at our fingertips. Science, 333(6043), 776–778. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1207745
Sparrow et al. (2011) conducted a study that explored how humans remember when they can find information online. The researchers discovered that individuals were less likely to remember the information when they anticipated that particular information would be available afterward. However, they were more likely to recall where the information could be located. The authors describe the Internet as a type of external and transactive memory. We could use technology to remember information and access it whenever we need.
The authors demonstrated their findings not only with their proposition but also with support from many different studies. The findings showed how daily technology use relates to how people memorize things. The study also analyzed how people use short-term memory for online searching and deep learning. This paper was published in 2011, before AI tools existed. However,
This article also made me realize how technology works with human cognition and influences how we approach memorizing things. I had a very similar experience when I worked in electronic manufacturing. When I investigated a product quality issue, I reviewed its production data, test logs, and inspection reports. I didn’t need to memorize the product serial number or associated information; I only needed to know where to access the data that could help me find it. Technology improved information traceability for humans. In this quality issue, I didn’t need to understand the complexity or technical details of how this particular product was designed to investigate the causes of the problem. Technology helps us retrieve information easily; however, it is more important to use information and technology to make correct decisions and keep learning.
Leave a Reply