Technology is n’t always good for your memory . overuse map apps canalterour navigational skills . data overload can make usforgetful . Most of us handle Google like an externalhard drivefor information we might have once give to memory . And all those selfies and picturesque aspect we shoot on vacation might be affecting how we remember the head trip , accord to a newstudyin theJournal of Experimental Social Psychologyspotted byVox .
In three dissimilar tests , a group of psychologist asked participants to record and/or divvy up media while taking self - guided tours .
In one turn , 132 people were ask to research a church building on Stanford University ’s campus and either take at least five photos for themselves , take photo to post on Facebook , or take no photos at all . A week or two after they took the self - guided tour using a university brochure as a guide , they take a retentiveness test about the item of what they see . The researchers found that taking photos impaired how well masses remembered the church , whether they were bring photos for themselves or to deal on societal media .
In another test , 238 participants make the same church tour , but did so in pairs instead of alone . Most did n’t lie with their partners before the report . The distich were n’t grant to peach to each other , and in each duo , the player were part of unlike grouping — in some , one player was supposed to take photos for personal use while the other was n’t supposed to take photos at all ; in others , one participant was supposed to share exposure to Facebook and one was in the no - photo status ; and in still others , both partners were in the no - photo chemical group . Again , the investigator found that take photos negatively affected people ’s memories of the experience in a come after - up view several day later .
Crucially , in both tests , taking photos did n’t alter how much people enjoyed the experience , even if it made them think back less of it . But if the whole point of take pictures is to retrieve a bit , it may not be a productive use of your holiday time , even if it does result in a fantastic visibility picture .
The researchers close that register an experience " may keep citizenry from remembering the very event they are set about to preserve . " Their study terminate on a dark note : " Ironically , our results suggest that using media to preserve these moments may prevent people from fully experience them in the first situation . " At least you ’ll still have fun , though .
[ h / tVox ]
